


Dreamscapes And Nightmares -  When it all changes: Life, Love and Family in Torchwood - Series 12

by missthingsplace



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Rating: NC17, Series, Smut, WIAC:LLAFIT
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-09
Updated: 2014-02-09
Packaged: 2018-01-11 18:35:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 49
Words: 58,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1176491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missthingsplace/pseuds/missthingsplace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack starts experiencing at first strange and confusing dreams which become interspursed with nightmares and he has no idea what is causing them or if they are connected ...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

**AU: When it all changes: Life, Love and Family in Torchwood.  
  
Title:**  Dreamscapes And Nightmares (Series 12)  
 **Author:** [](http://missthingsplace.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://missthingsplace.livejournal.com/)**missthingsplace**  
 **Parings/characters:** Jack/Ianto, Gwen/Rhys, Andy, My OC's: Caden, Eloise, Dylan, Jenni, Claire, Chloe, Damien, Ianto's family.  
 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Torchwood or any of the characters ... unfortunately, just borrowing them for a while.  
 **Summary:** Jack starts experiencing at first strange and confusing dreams which become interspursed with nightmares and he has no idea what is causing them or if they are connected ...  
 **Spoilers:** Probably not, but you never know ...  
 **Warnings:** Really? Do i have to?  
 **Rating:** NC17 for the series.  
  
 **Previous series/chapters:** **http://missthingsplace.livejournal.com/165103.html#cutid1**

  
  [](http://pics.livejournal.com/manage/pic?id=7)  


**Prologue  
**

_Jack watched as the two suns glowed orange as they rose on the horizon, one hand shielding his eyes from the glare, it never ceased to amaze him that a planet with two suns that rose simultaneously could have such cold winters._

_Pulling his padded coat tightly around him he went back to his task of shovelling the snow away from the path in front of his home, he wondered to himself how he had ended up where he was now but as he glanced to the house and saw the beautiful brunette watching him through the window with their baby in his arms he had no regrets about settling down._

_Turning off and sicking the heated spade into the mound of snow that was piled next to him he waved at her and strode quickly towards the house, pulling her and the baby into his arms as soon as he closed the door behind him and kissed her softly while the baby giggled between them._

Jack woke with a start, where the hell had that come from he thought to himself as he looked down at the top of Ianto's head where he was snuggled against him as he slept.

Putting the dream out of his mind Jack kissed the top of Ianto's head softly as he felt him stir against his chest, Ianto raising his head, eyes still closed and kissing Jack softly on the lips before they fluttered open.

“Morning sleepyhead.” Jack smiled softly at him.

“Morning gorgeous.” Ianto yawned back.

“It's early and quiet, sounds like the kids are still asleep.” Jack raised an eyebrow and looked at Ianto suggestively.

“And it is my birthday.” Ianto grinned.

“Is it?” Jack chuckled, earning him a playful slap to the top of the thigh.

“So where's my present then?”

“Later, first I have something else for you.” Jack told him, kissing him deeply as he rolled Ianto onto his back with a passion that left them both panting softly when it broke.

“It seems like only yesterday I was stalking you for a job.”

“And you're still looking as beautiful as you did that day.”

“Thanks to you, kiss me some more.”

“Always.” Jack whispered, pressing his lips to Ianto's.

Ianto's lips parted with a small moan of pleasure as soon as Jack's were upon them, submitting totally to the kiss as Jack's tongue slip between his lips and explored every inch of his mouth before finding his own tongue and tangling with it as their arms wrapped tightly around each other, pulling each other as close and possible.

Sliding his hands down Jack's back Ianto didn't stop until they reached the curve of Jack's arse, pressing down on Jack's buttocks as their cocks brushed deliciously between their bodies, groaning into each others mouths as their passion mounted.

“Make love to me Jack.” Ianto whispered huskily into his ear.

“Don't have to ask, never have to ask.” Jack murmured as his lips trailed down his neck, nipping at the juncture where it met his shoulder before sucking on the tender skin causing Ianto to let out a soft moan of pleasure.

Ianto's eyes closed as his head tilted backwards a little, Jack's lips leaving his throat and moving slowly down his chest finding a nipple.

The tip of Jack's tongue teasing it to a hard hub before his lips encircled it and he sucked it into his mouth, teeth grazing it as Ianto's back arched off the bed and his fingers tangled in Jack's hair as he murmured nonsense.

Jack's hand moved between their bodies, wrapping it around both of their straining cocks as his mouth moved it's ministrations to Ianto's other nipple, Ianto's hips canting upwards as he thrust slowly into Jack's fist, against Jack's cock.

“Need you inside me, deep inside me.” Ianto groaned, pulling Jack's head away from his nipple by tugging on his hair and pulling him into a messy kiss.

Jack pulled back and looked into Ianto's eyes.

“What do you want, need?”

“Me on my knees, you pounding into my arse.” Ianto whispered, his voice dripping with lust and desire for his husband.

“Turn over.” Jack told him, lifting himself from Ianto's body.

Ianto settled on his knees, legs parted and arse high as he rested his body weight on his forearms as he felt Jack's hands on his buttocks, parting them before a finger trailed along the crack of his arse and stopping only to tease his hole.

“Jack please.” Ianto moaned softly.

“Soon, soon.” Jack told him as he reached out for the lube and dropped it on the bed beside him.

Ianto let out a gasp of pleasure as the tip of Jack's tongue probed at his entrance, circling the tight muscle, teasing it as Ianto writhed under it's touch.

Jack dipped the point of his tongue in deeper as he felt the muscle relaxing under his touch, probing deeper and deeper as Ianto's hands tangled in the sheet beneath them desperately trying not to shout out loudly in pleasure.

Jack groped blindly for the lube, coating his fingers while his tongue continued to plunder his lovers body, making Ianto gasp out loudly as he slid the digit easily into his body.

“Now Jack, need to come.” Ianto begged breathlessly.

“You're not ready.” Jack told him, adding a second finger.

“Jack!”

Jack knelt upright and slid his fingers from Ianto's arse, quickly coating his cock with lube he aligned it with Ianto's hole and slid in fast as deep.

“Tight and hot.” Jack murmured as he began to slowly thrust into Ianto.

“Faster, oh god faster.” Ianto told him, reaching back with one hand and wrapping it round his own cock and pumping it fast.

Jack bent forwards and kissed the base of Ianto's spine before gripping his hips tightly, increasing the tempo of his thrusts until he was pounding as hard and fast as he could into Ianto's arse, feeling the muscles of it contract deliciously as Ianto let out a long low groan of ecstasy as his orgasm hit.

Jack didn't stop pounding, extending Ianto's own orgasm as he delayed his own for as long as possible until he could hold back no longer and his come shot into his lovers body as he bit down on Ianto's shoulder to try and stifle his shout of pleasure.

They tumbled onto the bed in a tangle of limbs, Jack withdrawing and Ianto rolling over onto his side as they sought out each others mouths in a breathless kiss.

“Happy birthday.” Jack told Ianto, kissing him again softly.

“I could just stay here all day, in your arms.” Ianto replied, his arms wrapped tightly around Jack.

“I think the kids might be a little miffed.” Jack grinned.

“Yep, and I hear movement downstairs.”

“Probably Claire getting breakfast ready.”

“What would be do without her?”

“I don't ever want to find out.” Jack chuckled softly.

“Right, lets get cleaned up and face the hungry hoards.” Ianto replied, finally letting Jack free of his embrace and sliding out of bed.

“We really need to move to a bigger house.” Jack said as he headed off to the bathroom. “It was good of Claire to have Dylan in her room last night but he really should have a room of his own and an en-suite bathroom for us wouldn't go amiss either.”

“If the rift behaves itself for today, it being my birthday it would be nice then how about a trip down to the estate agents?” Ianto suggested, following Jack into the bathroom.

“Yeah, the sooner we have our room back to ourselves, the better.” Jack grinned, locking the bathroom door and pressing Ianto against it as he devoured his lover mouth.

“Recovered already Jack?” Ianto chuckled when they pulled apart to draw breath, feeling Jack's cock swelling against his hip.

“You're one to talk.” Jack grinned, cocking an eyebrow as he palmed Ianto's hardening cock.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

_Jack looked down in horror at the bloody, crumpled body of the brunette and the baby in her arms and dropped to his knees in the pool of blood at his feet._

_Slowly he reached out and felt for a pulse, not expecting to find one but hoping he was wrong as his fingers pressed to the brunettes neck._

_Nothing. Jack snatched his fingers back and stared at the blood on them for a moment before wiping them down his trousers, suddenly leaping to his feet as if it impinged on him that whoever, or whatever had done this was still in the house._

_Grabbing the carving knife from the kitchen drawer Jack moved quietly out the room, checking out the living room as he a loud noise came from above startling him._

Jack screamed as he woke from the nightmare, hyperventilating as he tried to catch his breath, barely aware of the arms that wrapped around him as he tried to get his bearings.

“Cariad, shhh, it was just a dream.” Ianto said softly to his husband. “Just a dream.”

“Blood, so much blood.” Jack gasped as he started to control his breathing.

“Who's blood?” Ianto asked, stroking his hand through Jack's hair soothingly. “Yours? Mine?”

“No ones, I don't know, a woman.” Jack replied, obviously confused.

“It was just a nightmare Jack, it's not real.” Ianto tried to reassure his lover.

“It felt so real, like I was there.” Jack frowned. “That poor woman and her baby.”

“You don't recognise them at all?” Ianto replied.

Jack shook his head but he couldn't help the small niggling at the back of his mind, it was the same woman and child he had dreamed about before but the dreams had been happy.

He was about to say something to Ianto about the other dreams he'd had over the last few months knowing they must be related to each other some how but the door flew open and their twins ran in shouting to him.

“Daddy, daddy.” Both Caden and Eloise chanted, their voices tinged with fright.

“We heard you scream daddy, was it a monster?” Eloise asked her daddy.

“Daddy had a nightmare.” Ianto told them. “He's okay now, they're not real, the monsters in nightmares.”

“Dada's right.” Jack told them, trying to to show his own fears. “A silly bad dream and dada's chased it away now.”

Ianto kissed Jack on the top of the head slid out of bed, grateful they'd gone to bed wearing their underwear the night before.

“Come on you two, back to bed.” Ianto told the twins.

“But we want to stay with daddy.” Caden pouted.

“It's the middle of the night and you have school tomorrow.” Ianto told them firmly. “Give daddy a kiss and then back to bed.”

Eloise kissed Jack on the cheek, followed by Caden who muttered in his ear that dada was mean, making Jack smile as Ianto led them back to their bedroom happy that now the baby had his own room he hadn't been disturbed.

Tucking Eloise into her bed in her pink and purple princess room first he kissed her quickly and then went into Caden's room, decorated in varying shades of blue and repeated the process before rushing back to Jack.

Jack was sat up on the bed, propped up by his pillows and his arms wrapped around his knees with a strange look on his face as if he was concentrating hard about something.

Ianto climbed back into bed next to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, rubbing his arm with his hand and waited for Jack to speak.

“It was so weird, I was looking down at this woman and her baby and it was like I knew them.” Jack began, not sure exactly what to tell his husband. “She looked so familiar but I don't know her name or the baby's, but ... it was like ... they were my family.”

“Family? Like a wife and child?” It was Ianto's turn to frown.

“Ianto I promise, I have no idea why I'm dreaming about them.” Jack told him.

“You've dreamed about them before?” Ianto asked, not sure he wanted to know the answer.

“Yeah, only snippets, most so small I don't remember them but none of them were like this.” Jack replied. “They were ... like we were a happy family.”

“Why would you be dreaming you were married to this woman? That you had a baby with her?” Ianto asked, not liking that Jack had kept the dreams a secret one little bit. “Maybe the nightmare was your guilt over your happy, alternative dream family?”

“I don't know why I'm dreaming about them.” Jack replied, his voice hitching, upset at the tone of his lovers voice. “You know I love you and you alone, I wouldn't give you or our family up for anything, or anyone. Dreams are irrational by nature, you know that.”

“And can have all sorts of meanings.” Ianto replied without thinking.

“I wish I hadn't told you now.” Jack snapped. “You're jealous of a dream?”

“No Jack, it's just ...” Ianto began.

“Forget it.” Jack told him, shrugging off his husbands arm and getting out bed, grabbing his pillow. “I'll be in Dylan's room.”

“Jack, you can't spend the night in the armchair.” Ianto replied, rushing after him.

“Fine, you spend the night there then.” Jack told him coldly, shoving the pillow in his arms, going back into their room and closing the door firmly behind him leaving a rather pissed off Ianto in the hall.

Ianto stomped off down to the living room, grabbing a blanket on the way and threw himself down on their huge sofa already feeling like an idiot for reacting the way he had to Jack's dreams.

He lay there in the dark staring up at the ceiling knowing he wouldn't sleep if he didn't make things up with his husband and he was the one that was in the wrong so getting back up, clutching his pillow Ianto walked quietly back up the stairs.

After checking briefly in all three of the children's rooms he tried to handle of their bedroom door, breathing out a long sigh of relief when he found it unlocked and slowly pushed the door open.

In the dim light he could make out Jack lying on the bed in the same position he had been a few minutes before on the sofa and although he couldn't actually see he knew Jack's eyes were open and staring upwards.

Ianto moved across the room, placed the pillow on the bed and slipped under the duvet next to his husband, lying on his side and looking at him.

“I'm sorry.” Ianto said softly. “I should never have said what I did.”

“And I should have told you about the dreams, I didn't think they were worth mentioning.” Jack replied, turning to face his lover. “I'm sorry too.”

“Whatever this is, we deal with it together.” Ianto replied.

“Whatever it is?” Jack asked.

“Yep.” Ianto told him, shuffling closer as Jack reached out for him and settling in his arms. “Nothing in a dream is worth fighting over.”

“No.” Jack agreed as they dozed in each others arms.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Jack slept through the rest of the night without another dream or nightmare, when the alarm clock went off they were both startled out of deep sleeps, the loud noise making them both jump. 

Ianto hit the off button with his hand and snuggled back into Jack's arms as he spoke sleepily.

“No more bad dreams?” Ianto asked.

“No, but I don't get the dreams every night, just one or two a week.” Jack replied stroking his fingers through the soft hairs on Ianto's chest.

“And last night, that was the first time is was a nightmare?”

“Mmmm, the dreams were strange and confusing but I could dismiss the ones I remembered.” Jack explained. “Last nights horrific nightmare was a complete shock.”

“What exactly did you see?” Ianto asked, propping himself up on his side and looking at Jack.

“They, the woman and baby were lying on the floor in a pool of blood, their bodies looked like they had been hacked to shreds by someone, something.” Jack gulped back the bile that rose in his throat as he remembered the gory scene. “I dropped onto my knees to feel for a pulse, not finding one I went to check that whatever had done this wasn't still in the house.”

“And where they?” Ianto asked.

“I heard a loud bang above me and then I woke up screaming.” Jack told him with a frown. “I have no idea what's going on in my head and it's beginning to scare me.”

“You think it's some kind of memory?” Ianto asked.

“I really have no idea.” Jack told him. “The woman seems somehow familiar but dreams can be like that.”

“Maybe something we've come in contact with recently is having a strange effect on you.” Ianto suggested. “But I have no idea what.”

“Could have been anything in the last few months.” Jack sighed.

“When did they start?” Ianto asked.

“I'm not sure, but maybe a month or two after Dylan was born.” Jack shrugged.

“Maybe talking about them will be enough to drive them away.” Ianto replied. “I'm sorry I reacted how I did last night, I feel like a complete prat.”

“Yeah, but you're my beautiful prat.” Jack chuckled.

“You're not meant to agree with me.” Ianto grumbled.

Jack cocked an eyebrow at his husband.

“Okay, I admit it, I'm a prat.” Ianto replied laughing. “But just promise me one thing.”

“Which is?” Jack asked.

“Tell me about the dreams and nightmares, maybe between us we can work out what's going on.” Ianto replied.

“We won't worry anyone else though, not the team, or even Claire?” Jack asked.

“Not if you don't want to, but Claire can't have missed the commotion last night, even if she didn't intrude.” Ianto told him. “And the kids won't be fobbed off forever if you have more nightmares, the way they sense your moods seems to be growing daily and that would have contributed to them rushing in here last night.”

“I never thought about that.” Jack admitted. “We'll just have to cross those bridges when it comes to it.”

“We should get up, we still need to work out what that strange signal is that the computers picked up.” Ianto told his husband, getting out of bed. “Damien left the programme running last night but it seems to be something completely new.”

“Then we just have to hope it's not hostile.” Jack replied as he threw the covers off and wandered into the bathroom with Ianto. “Maybe it'll be pretty green kittens again one day.”

“They were a nightmare all of their own.” Ianto replied, but remembering their strange pets with affection. “The kids are still going on about getting a puppy.”

“I'm not sure Claire could cope, what with taking care of the twins and Dylan and Jenni while they are at school.” Jack chuckled, turning on the shower.

“We'll have to ask Claire her thoughts, if she thinks she can cope then maybe we should look into it.” Ianto suggested.

“You want a puppy too, don't you?” Jack grinned, pulling his husband under the cascading water.

“We had a dog when I was a kid, I loved playing with him, walking him.” Ianto told him with a smile. “He was my best friend, I could tell him anything and he would listen patiently and never tell a soul.”

“That's dogs for you, secretive little buggers.” Jack grinned as he handed Ianto the shampoo.

“It would teach the twins about responsibility, always a good thing.” Ianto added, handing Jack the shower gel.

“You really want a puppy, don't you?” Jack laughed, pressing his wet lips to Ianto's in a quick kiss.

“Well, it's not like we can bring Myfanwy home for them, is it?” Ianto snarked with a smirk.

“Okay, okay, as long as Claire agrees that it's not too much for her, we can get a puppy.” Jack agreed laughing as they left the shower and wrapped towels around their bodies before shaving and brushing their teeth.

When they made it down to the kitchen Claire was balancing Dylan on her hip as she ate a piece of toast, the twins at the kitchen table eating their cereal abandoned it as soon as their parents appeared.

Jack swooped Eloise up in his arms as she ran at him across the kitchen and held her tight as she looped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.

“Daddy had a bad dream last night.” Caden informed Claire. “He woke us up because he got scared.”

“Did he now?” Claire replied, smiling at the two men and telling them wordlessly that she guessed something must have happened like that in the night for the kids to run to their parents room.

She knew they would tell her if they thought she should know so she wasn't going to push the issue. She had also heard the fight, even though she had no idea what it was about and hadn't been able to sleep until she'd heard Ianto go back up to the bedroom.

“But dada took care of him and he's okay now.” Eloise added with a smile at him.

“Dada's clever like that.” Jack told him daughter, setting her down on the floor. “Now finish your breakfast our you'll be late for school.”

“Yes daddy.” They both grumbled in unison, moving back to their seats.

“Now, you two be good for Claire and at school and we'll see you later.” Ianto told him, praying nothing came up to make them late home.

“We will.” Caden told them.

“Claire, we need to ask you something later.” Ianto told her, with a small wink to Jack who let out a chuckle.

“Sure.” Claire replied, wondering what they were up to as Dylan began to fuss in her arms wanting his nappy changed.

After kissing the kids and saying their goodbyes they finally headed out the house and into the car, driving towards the hub to find out if the signal had been identified yet.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

“Anyone home?” Jack yelled out as they walked through the cog door and into the hub as the sirens subsided.

“Over here Jack.” Damien called back from his workstation as they walked in his direction. “Nothing yet, not a sausage. Whatever that signal is, the Torchwood programmes don't recognise it as anything they've got stored in the data banks.”

“Have you managed to find the point it's originating from?” Ianto asked, taking Jack's coat from him and holding it over his arm with his own.

“Whatever it is, it's hiding behind Jupiter, out of sight of any of the satellites up there.” Damien told them. “It's the nearest I can pinpoint it.”

“Is it still playing the same transmission ever and over Jack asked him.

“Yeah, the signal lasts thirty two seconds and then starts from the beginning again.” Damien replied. “The computer identified over forty different tones but other than that ...”

“Maybe it's an alien SOS signal?” Ianto suggested. “They wouldn't know that we wouldn't be able to transcribe it.”

“I'd rather that than something hostile transmitting to it's buddies and preparing to pay us a little visit.” Jack replied with a frown. “I have to admit the longer it goes unidentified the more worried I am about what it is and why.”

“I've even hacked into UNIT's files and tried there, but nothing.” Damien told them with some trepidation, using the name UNIT around the Harkness-Jones men still made them more than a little upset and angry.

“Then we just have to keep trying.” Jack told him, completely ignoring the UNIT reference. “And hope we find out before whatever it is tries to invade Cardiff.” 

“I'm on it.” Damien assured him as the cog door rolled open and again and Gwen and Chloe arrived together, both of them holding various little paper bags from the Patisserie near the bay.

“Breakfast.” Chloe beamed, holding some of the bags aloft.

“Good, I'm starving Jack exclaimed, a huge grin crossing his face.

“You're always starving Jack.” Ianto remarked, Jack missing his eye roll as his husband went to hang up their coats and organise coffee for them all to go with the pastries.

By the time Ianto returned with the coffee mugs and tea plates on a tray they were all sat around the table in the conference room, the paper bags and their contents piled in the middle.

Ianto handed out the mugs and plates before dropping into the seat next to Jack and remarked that there seemed to be rather a lot of paper bags.

“Well, I went to get the pastries and couldn't decide what to get for everyone, I mean we all have two or three favourites and if I couldn't decide which one I wanted then what hope did I have trying to decide for all of you?” Chloe explained. “I then went into the newsagents to buy a paper ...”

“Not knowing that I was intending to do exactly the same thing and got more pastries, coming out I bumped into Chloe and we realised we had more than enough but thought, well, a little indulgence now and then didn't hurt anyone.” Gwen finished with a grin.

“Well, I know I for one am very grateful.” Jack replied, grabbing one of the bags and placing a pastry on his plate as the other laughed at him. “What? I wasn't allowed them for most of the nine months I was pregnant, I'm still catching up!”

“Good thing there's lots of running around in this job then.” Chloe laughed. “Or I'd be putting you on a diet in a couple of months.”

“Oh I can think of much better ways to have exercise.” Jack replied, winking at his husband who just shook his head, grateful he didn't blush quite so easily now days.

“So, any news on the signal?” Chloe asked, changing the subject for Ianto.

“Still nothing.” Damien replied. “But I'm still monitoring it, hopefully we'll find out something soon.”

“Chloe, any luck identifying that rodent like thing that came through the rift on Wednesday?” Jack asked her, it had been alone and they had been lucky to find it as it had been rendered unconscious. 

Jack knew if it hadn't it would have scarpered judging by the way it was acting in the cage it was confined in and they would have had trouble locating it. One thing they did know though was it was carnivorous and refused anything but fresh, raw meet.

Ianto had suggested it was like an alien Mink, a vicious little bastard he'd called it when it latched onto his finger at one point and it took two of them to prize it's jaws apart.

“It seems to be a rodent like creature just like we thought, going on the scans I've managed to take and as for where it's from, it's DNA seems to be a variant of the Mink ...”

“See!” Ianto exclaimed.

“... from what I can tell it's from Earth, but future earth.” Chloe frowned. “Some kind of mutation.”

“Now that's something took forward to.” Gwen said with a small shudder as she thought about the creature.

“Probably not in our future, much further along.” Chloe told her.

“That's a relief.” Gwen sighed with a smile.

“Right, work to do.” Jack told them, stuffing the last morsel of his third pastry into his mouth. “Gwen you can help Damien with this damn signal, Chloe just keep that rodent fed and happy and an eye on it, after what happened with Bert I don't trust anything alien or otherwise in this place.”

“Bert was cute, until he turned into those horrible things and one of them bit it.” Gwen replied a little sadly, even though she'd been hurt.

“I vote for more green kittens.” Ianto grinned with a wink to Jack as they all got up from the table to go to their tasks.

“Ianto.” Jack sighed, grinning at his husband as he shook his head.

“What's going on?” Gwen asked, trying to decipher the looks going on between them.

“Ianto wants a puppy.” Jack told her. 

“The twins want a puppy!” Ianto corrected him.

“And you're not against it?” Gwen asked.

“Well, no ...” Ianto conceded with a shrug.

“So you do want a puppy then?” Gwen grinned.

“Yes, yes, I want a puppy, okay?” Ianto admitted. “Now, go help Damien.”

“I'm going!” Gwen laughed, heading out the conference room door.

Jack pulled Ianto into his arms and kissed him softly.

“I promise, if Claire doesn't mind we will get a puppy.”

“Thank you.” Ianto told him. “Any more thoughts on those dreams?”

“No, nothing of any use.” Jack replied. “If anything comes back to me, you'll be the first to know.”

“Do you think it could be your two missing years?” Ianto asked.

“I don't know, I mean what would that have to do with the Time Agency.” Jack told him. “Judging by the dreams I wasn't working for them at the time, not that I could tell anyway.”

“The mystery deepens.” Ianto replied with a smile despite his worry about the dreams and what they meant.

“Maybe I'll get some answers soon.” Jack replied, giving Ianto another kiss before they left the conference room and headed back down to the main hub.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

When they arrived home that evening it was late, they had been preparing to come home early, having sent the rest off the teams members on their way when a small spike on the rift predictor indicated that something had come through the rift.

From what they could tell it was small and not organic, with a sigh they grabbed their weapons and headed out to the SUV hoping it would take long. Putting the coordinates into the Sat Nav they realised it was further out than usual but within the normal realms of the rifts reach.

“Oh joy, another muddy field.” Ianto snarked as they pulled their on Wellington boots.

“Could be worse, it could be raining.” Jack grinned.

“Lets just get this over with so we can get home, I bet it's just another hunk of space junk.” Ianto replied, closing the boot of the SUV with a slam. “Which way?”

Jack pressed a button on his wrist strap and moved his arm slowly across his body until it emitted a loud beep.

“That way.” He told him, striding off to the west.

The object turned about to be about half a mile across the squelchy, muddy field which apparently was also frequented by cows at times judging by the huge cow pat Ianto trod in by accident.

Jack tried not to laugh at the look on his lovers face as he lifted up the offending foot and glared at the disgusting mess on the bottom of it, wrinkling his nose at the smell.

“Not funny Jack.” Ianto hissed, continuing the rest of their journey towards the object.

“No, not at all.” Jack replied, unable to contain his chuckle any longer.

“Decaf for a week.” Ianto warned, glaring at the captain.

“Okay, okay.” Jack replied, forcing the smile off his face. “It should be about ... here!”

Half buried in the mud was a silver cylinder, about two inches in diameter and once they had decided it to be safe and pulled it from the mud, about six inches long.

“Any ideas?” Ianto asked Jack as they sealed it into a large evidence bag and began their trek back to the SUV.

“It looks like a container of some sort but I don't want to open it until we're back at the hub and can take precautions.” Jack replied. “It looks harmless but we can never be too careful.”

“True.” Ianto agreed.

Reaching the SUV Ianto dug out a black plastic sack and deposited both pairs of Wellington boots into it and tied the top closed, they would need a through washing when they got back to the hub.

“Do you think it's got anything to do with that signal?” Ianto asked as he drove, Jack examining the object through the plastic bag.

“No, whatever's emitting that signal didn't come through the rift, this did.” Jack told him, holding it up to the light and shaking it gently. “Could be interesting though.”

“Tonight?” Ianto asked, just wanting to get home.

“We'll secure it and examine it in the morning.” The captain told him. “I can't see any urgency that requires doing anything with it this evening.”

“The twins will be in bed by now.” Ianto said, glancing at his watch, both of them hated not being home to put the kids to bed but nine times out of ten they didn't make it.

“They're used to it, I know it's not preferable but at least they understand why.” Jack told him.

“Still makes me feel bad though.” Ianto sighed.

“Yeah, but they know we'll make it up to them.” Jack replied.

“With a puppy?” Ianto grinned.

“Maybe.” Jack chuckled as they pulled into the car park and headed into the hub with the cylinder and the black plastic sack.

“You secure that and I'll go and sluice the boots down.” Ianto told Jack, heading down to the showers thinking it would be the easiest way to clean them.

Jack slid the cylinder from the evidence bag and examined it closer, realising that like one similar that Torchwood had so many moons ago. It also had a temporal lock as well.

Unlike the other one there was no way of seeing what was stored inside, Jack turned it upside down to see if there was any indication of it's contents on the bottom and almost dropped it in shock.

One word was clearly etched into the metal.

Torchwood.

*

Ianto muttered to himself about how he always still seemed to end up with the shit jobs, then chuckled softly to himself as he rinsed the cow pat off the bottom of his boot thinking he literally did, trying to keep himself dry from the spray while he did so.

When all four of the rubber boots were clean he set them to one side to dry and then sprayed the floor of the showers liberally with bleach and rinsing it away before heading back up to the main hub.

Locating Jack in his office a worried look crossed his face as he watched Jack, he was staring intently at the cylinder as if trying to remember something, his brow deeply furrowed in concentration.

“Jack? Found something?” Ianto asked, crossing the room quickly and standing on the opposite side of the desk.

Jack passed him the cylinder, bottom end first so Ianto couldn't miss the etching.

“Is this something you know about?” Ianto asked, brushing the pad of a finger over the word.

“I have no idea what it is or when it's from.” Jack replied. “The one about Tommy, it was the only one I was aware of and that was kept here in the archives. Why would this fall through the rift?”

“It could be from the future.” Ianto frowned, trying to prise the lid off even though he'd already guessed it wouldn't work.

“But was it lost accidentally or did someone send it here deliberately?” Jack replied.

“And when will it unlock? Jack none of these questions are going to get answered until it does unlock and release it's contents to us.” Ianto told him.

“Something about it is make me feel very nervous.” Jack frowned again before he took it back off Ianto, shoved it into the evidence bag and locked it away on his desk draw with a smile. “You're right, lets get out of here.”

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

The twins were indeed already on bed and asleep when they finally got home, both of them acknowledged Claire as they entered the house before heading upstairs to the twins room, kissing their sleeping children on the forehead in turn and the going back down to the living room where Claire was giving Dylan his last feed.

“Hows he doing?” Jack asked, smiling softly at the baby in her arms.

“Just fine, we went to the baby clinic today and his weight and height are both normal for his age.” Claire told them. “Thanks to your faked records they never question his birth.”

“Again we miss an important part of our child's life.” Ianto said with a sigh as he sat down on the sofa.

Claire put Dylan's now empty bottle down and lifted him to his shoulder to burp him.

“I'll take him.” Jack told her smiling, holding his arms out for his son.

“You want to do to daddy?” Claire asked Dylan, lifting him again and placing him his daddy's arms. “Can I get you both a coffee?”

They both thanked her and she headed off for the kitchen, Jack moved to sit by his husband and placed Dylan in his arms and kissed Ianto on the cheek.

“Little Dylan here wants you to know he doesn't mind who takes him to see the lady at the clinic.” Jack told Ianto with a smile. “And he knows his dada and daddy love him so it doesn't matter.”

“You're daft, you know that?” Ianto grinned, softly rubbing Dylan's back and giving him a small cheer of encouragement as he let out a small burp.

“You tell me often enough.” Jack chuckled.

Ianto moved the baby off his shoulder and back into his arms, cuddling him close. Jack put his fingers in Dylan's hand and he immediately clutched it tightly, looking up his dada with a hint of a smile on his face.

“He's growing so fast.” Jack noted. “Before we know it he'll be walking.”

“I can't believe he's going to be six months old in a few weeks.” Ianto replied, pressing a kiss to his sons head.

“Do you think he can talk to the twins yet, like they do with each other?” Jack pondered.

“They've not said anything to me, maybe he's still to young.” Ianto replied, looking up as Claire came back into the room carrying three mugs of coffee. “Claire, there's something we wanted to ask you.”

“Ask away.” Claire replied, handing Jack his mug and setting Ianto's down on the coffee table before sitting back in the armchair.

“The kids are after a puppy, as I'm sure you're well aware.” Jack said, Claire nodding as he did. “We wondered what your thoughts were on us getting them one? I mean we're out a lot and it would basically become another thing for you to take care off along with the kids.”

“If it would be too much work for you we would totally understand.” Ianto added. “You do so much for us already, a lot of which you shouldn't do like our laundry and housework and ....”

Claire cut him off. “I do all that because I don't think of you as my employers, you are my family and family do whatever they can for each other.”

“But ...” Ianto tried to continue.

“Let me finish.” Claire smiled at them. “If I didn't like what I do I would have left when the twins were small, I love my job and hell, I have the coolest employers in Cardiff.”

“Does that mean you're not against us getting puppy?” Ianto asked making Jack chuckle loudly.

“Ianto really wants a puppy.” Jack explained.

“No, I have no objection to having a puppy in the house.” Claire grinned, watching the way Ianto rocked his son gently in his arms. “But I do think it's time for that little man to go to bed.”

“We'll put him down.” Jack told her, finishing his coffee. “It's been a long day and a warm, comfy bed is just what I need about now.”

Ianto got to his feet carefully, baby Dylan in his arms as they said their good nights to Claire and took their youngest up to his nursery. After settling him in his cot they took turns using the bathroom and then snuggled under the duvet together, Ianto curled against Jack and resting his head on his husbands chest.

“So many late nights in a row, I'm knackered.” Ianto mumbled.

“Lets hope we can get a day off soon, once we find out what that signal is and deal with it.” Jack answered with a yawn.

“And we can use it to go and find a puppy.” Ianto replied, feeling Jack's chuckle as he heard it against the side of his face.

“Maybe.” Jack replied, kissing Ianto's softly as he lifted his head from Jack's chest to look up at his husband.

“Sleep?” Ianto murmured, already half asleep.

“Yeah.” Jack agreed, Ianto settling his bead back on his lovers chest.

_The baby giggled as he blew raspberries on her bare belly, her little arms and legs waving around frantically in excitement as he did so._

_“She loves that.” The brunette smiled. “You love when your daddy makes you giggle don't you sweetie.”_

_“She's such a happy baby.” Jack replied. “Can we have at least half a dozen more?”_

_The brunette laughed out loudly. “Only if you carry half of them.”_

_Jack shrugged. “Okay by me.”_

_“Then I don't care if we have a whole football team.” The brunette grinned, picking the baby up from the sofa where she lay and holding her in her arms as she kissed Jack softly and told him. “I love you so much.”_

_“I had a request from the Time Agency today, they want me back.” Jack said, trying to broach the subject carefully._

_“You didn't say yes, did you?” The brunette asked, shifting away from him slightly._

_“Well, I didn't say no.” Jack admitted._

_“We talked about this before I got pregnant, we agreed the job was too dangerous for a father.” The woman argued._

_“I miss it, the excitement.” Jack argued back._

_“You go back to the Time Agency, we're over.” She told him, turning and storming from the room with the baby, slamming the door closed behind her._

Jack woke with a start, his mind reeling over the events of the dream. He'd left the Time Agency for this woman? Why couldn't he remember any of this? The last thing he remembered was working for them, is this why they took two years of his memory, in an attempt to get him back?

But that didn't seem right somehow, feeling completely confused Jack slipped carefully out of bed, donned his dressing gown and headed downstairs. Pouring himself a small scotch he settled down on the sofa, feet up on the seat and one arm wrapped around his knees as he tried desperately to remember something, anything.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

Ianto woke alone, it was still dark outside and Jack's side of the bed was cold under his hand as he slid it over the sheet. Listening quietly for a few moments Ianto couldn't hear a sound, climbing out of bed he grabbed his dressing gown and headed off to find his husband.

Walking quickly down the stairs Ianto went straight to the living room, he could see Jack's silhouette as he sat on the sofa in the darkness, just the lamplight through the curtains from outside highlighting him a little.

Ianto walked into the room causing Jack to look up, he couldn't see the look on his lovers face but the glass he now saw in Jack's hand meant something was wrong. Sitting down beside Jack he took the glass, helped himself to a sip and then put it down on the coffee table before gathering him into his arms.

“Nightmare?” Ianto asked softly, pressing a kiss to Jack's brow.

“No ... no, just a dream but ...” Jack frowned in the darkness, pausing for a second or two. “If what I saw is true I'm even more confused than ever.”

“Tell me.” Ianto urged.

“I always assumed that my memories from the two missing years were caused by the Time Agency, hell, it could still be the case but in the dream I wasn't working for them.” Jack explained. “It seems I had quit the job for whatever reason and they wanted me back - the woman - the one in the dream got angry with me for considering it and stormed out, that's when I woke up.”

“Have you considered that you went back to work for them and they took the memories of the woman and child from you because of what happened, because they were killed?” Ianto asked.

“Oh god, what if it was me that killed them?” Jack asked him, horrified at the idea.

“No Jack, there's no way you could have murdered them, especially not an innocent child.” Ianto told him calmly.

“I was a different man back then Ianto, I was capable of despicable things.” Jack whispered, a tear rolling down his face that he brushed away angrily.

“Do you remember ever hurting a child, a baby?” Ianto asked.

“No.” Jack replied, his voice barely audible.

“Jack I do not believe that you would ever harm a child, ever.” Ianto told him, placing a hand on Jack's face and tilting it to face his own. “In the nightmare, was there any blood on you?”

“No, not until I dropped to my knees to try and find a pulse.” Jack replied with relief. “No.”

“Then it wasn't you.” Ianto told his husband firmly.

“But why would the Time Agency wipe my memories?” Jack asked.

“I have no idea and until your subconscious lets your memories back fully we'll never know.” Ianto answered. “I'm hoping it's sooner rather than later, it's not good for you having the little sleep you do get disturbed.”

“As much as I want to know what happened I'm scared of finding out at the same time.” Jack admitted.

“Completely understandable.” Ianto told him. “Come on, lets get back to bed and try and get a few more hours sleep.”

“Okay.” Jack said, letting Ianto pull him to his feet. “I was expecting the kids to appear, after last time.”

“Perhaps it was because it was a nightmare as opposed to a dream, they've not reacted to any of your other dreams about this have they, other than that?” Ianto asked as they made their way back up to bed.

“No, just the nightmare.” Jack replied as they slid back under the duvet, the cool sheets making them both shudder and little and seeking each others body heat they moved together, Ianto spooning to his lovers back with his hand resting on his hip.

“Just put it out of your mind and try and sleep cariad.” Ianto told him, kissing the back of his neck.

“Do that again, that'll help.” Jack sighed softly.

Rubbing his hand slowly in circles on his lovers hip Ianto kissed the back of his lovers neck again, nipping and teasing the skin with his teeth causing Jack to press back against his body even closer.

“Don't stop.” The captain murmured, his hand settling on Ianto's and encouraging it further over his hip, down towards his crotch.

“We're meant to be sleeping.” Ianto whispered, his hand brushing lightly over Jack's erection while his own pressed to the crevice between his lovers buttocks.

“Sleep can wait, make love to me Ianto.” Jack told him, tilting his neck a little so Ianto could kiss the spot that made him melt.

“Like this?” Ianto asked, his hand ghosting up Jack's chest to find a nipple, teasing it into a hard nub while he marking Jack's left shoulder with a vivid purple love bite.

“Yeah.” The word came out on a long sigh as Jack replied, reaching out in the dark and fumbling blindly for the lube in the bedside table drawer without shifting his body an inch.

Locating it he pressed it into Ianto's hand, his own taking it's place over his nipple and stroking his fingertips over it, Ianto's moving slowly back down his body with the lube held to the palm of his hand with two fingers.

Jack shifted his top leg slightly, moving his hip forward a little and bending his knee in reaction to feeling Ianto's lubed fingers trailing along the crack of his arse and letting out a little gasp as they teased the entrance to his body, a louder sound following soon after when Ianto slid the tip if his finger into his hole and past the tight ring of muscle.

Ianto moved his finger back and forth in his lovers body, angling it so it swiped over the most sensitive spot on his body feeling Jack shudder under his touch before adding a second digit.

Jack pressed back on the fingers buried in his body, wanting, needing them deeper inside him as he rocked back and forth on his hips, fucking himself on Ianto's fingers until it wasn't enough.

“I need more.” Jack rasped. “I need you buried inside me.”

“Always.” Ianto murmured in his ear, sliding his fingers from Jack's body and after quickly coating his cock with lube pressed his cock to Jack's hole, sliding in slowly and deeply in one movement as the tight heat of Jack's channel engulfed his cock with a long sigh.

Ianto began to thrust, his hips barely moving to keep the thrusts deep and slow, his hand sliding over Jack's body and encircling his lovers cock to pump him in time with the thrusts.

Jack's hand moved back behind him, fingers digging into the flesh of Ianto's buttock in an attempt to push their bodies even closer to each other as he felt his orgasm beginning to mount.

“Faster?” Ianto whispered in his husbands ear.

“Yes, oh yes.” Jack panted, rewarded with Ianto increasing his pace instantly pounding faster into his body.

The room filling with the sounds of them grunting, panting and groaning along with the sounds of flesh hitting flesh as they lost themselves in the moment, Jack gasping out his lovers name as his orgasm hit, his come splattering over Ianto's hand and across the sheet.

With Jack's arse pulsating around his cock Ianto's thrusts became more erratic, his hips snapping as he drove himself onto orgasm, biting down on the back of his husbands neck as his essence shot deep into his lovers arse.

Neither of them moved, Ianto panting against his lovers back as they came back down from their orgasms, Jack wrapped a hand around Ianto's wrist and moved it from his softening cock, lifting it to his mouth to taste his own come on his lovers hand before entwining their fingers and holding their hands to his chest.

“We should clean up and sleep.” Ianto whispered.

“Don't move.” Jack replied sleepily. “Just sleep.”

Ianto lifted his leg and wrapped it over Jack's as he snuggled closer to his husband, if Jack didn't care about the sticky mess then he sure as hell didn't he thought as he sensed Jack drifting into sleep.

Closing his own eyes Ianto thought briefly about Jack's dream, whatever he was remembering it was in the past and he would be there for Jack when the whole thing came back to him, no matter what transpired.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

“Jack, have you seen the news today?” Chloe asked a couple of days later, calling out to him over the sound of the sirens of the cog door as she walked into the hub.

“No.” Jack called back, appearing at the door of his office with his hands buried in the pockets of his trousers.

“It would seem that there's something a little odd going on with the sheep, if it's not a hoax of some sort that is.” Chloe replied, setting down her handbag and turning on the monitor of her computer. “I'll find the news item.”

Taking his hands from his pockets Jack jogged down the steps from his office and stopped behind Chloe, resting his hands on the back of her chair as she went to the BBC Wales news page and clicked on the link which started a video playing.

“Something strange is going on in the fields of the United Kingdom, the sheep are rebelling it seems.” The woman newscaster reported, a small smile playing on her lips. “But not all of them. Two or three sheep from each flock are acting abnormally and not doing what sheep do, following their fellow sheep and attempting to make a bid for freedom.”

“Surely this is just some kind of prank?” Jack asked Chloe.

“Keep watching and listening.” Chloe told him.

“The sheep are just as docile as ever but it's like they have some kind of mission in mind, they just want to get away from the flock and head to wherever it is they think they need to do.” The newscaster continued. “This isn't isolated to Wales, it's happening everywhere. A local farmer I spoke to earlier said he's never seen anything like it, so far twenty seven sheep have managed to escape and almost half of those have been retrieved and returned to their owners. The rest it seems are continuing their journey but no one knows where they are headed, stay tuned for updates.”

“It certainly seems like something strange is going on, but is it alien?” Jack asked, staring at the now silent screen.

“Well, it's certainly not normal.” Chloe told. “I think we need to try and find out just where these sheep are heading and why, if it is alien, what the hell do they want with the sheep?”

“Depends on the species, I mean sheep are kinda pretty.” Jack told her, grinning as Ianto walked across the hub towards them.

“Sheep are pretty? Is there something I should know Jack?” Ianto asked, giving Chloe a curious look.

“I'm not the Welshman.” Jack chuckled, earning him an playful punch to the arm from his husband.

“Having lived here for an long as you have I'd say you could be classed as a native, despite not being able to speak more than a few words of the language.” Ianto deadpanned. “But if you do have an urge to shag sheep then please keep it as a fantasy, for my sake and that of the sheep!”

“Despite my stories I can assure you I never have and never intend to shag a sheep.” Jack pouted.

“Good, that's that cleared up then.” Chloe laughed. “Now lets see if we can find out what's happening to the woolly little buggers.”

“What's with the sheep?” Ianto asked.

“Chloe will explain.” Jack told him, going to find Damien.

Jack finally located Damien in the hubs bathroom, hands clutching the edge of the hand basin and looking as white as sheet. Jack was about ask him what was wrong when Damien's hand flew to his mouth and he ran into one of the cubicles, followed by the sounds of him retching.

“Damien, you shouldn't be here.” Jack stated as he reappeared from the cubicle. “Go home, go to bed and stay there until you feel better.”

Damien rinsed his mouth out with water from the tap, spitting down the plughole before replying.

“I think I ate a dodgy kebab last night, my girlfriend was complaining of a bad stomach first thing this morning and this came on about an hour ago.” Damien explained.

“You have a girlfriend? Not like you to go on dates, let alone have someone you can call a girlfriend.” Jack smiled softly, handing him his handkerchief to wipe his mouth.

“This job isn't exactly conducive to meeting women, let alone maintaining a relationship.” Damien replied. “But she's nice and I'd like to get to know her better.”

“Does she have a name?” Jack asked, not missing the way Damien was clutching his stomach.

“Julie.” Damien managed to answer as his stomach went into spasms again, sending him running back into the cubicle once more.

I'm sending Chloe down with something to suppress the sickness, it should last long enough for you to get home.” Jack told him. “Rest and I don't want to see you back here until you're feeling better.”

“Sure.” Damien muttered, his voice echoing off the toilet bowl. “Oh Jack, that signal.”

“Yeah?” Jack replied.

“I think it might have something to do with the sheep.” Damien told him, pushing himself up off her knees and leaving the cubicle again.

“In what way?” Jack asked, frowning at the way Damien was beginning to sway slightly on his feet.

“The signal ... the signal has split into over a dozen separate but exactly the same ones over the UK, focusing on exact locations.” Damien explained weakly. “I think that's where the sheep are heading.”

“I'm on it.” Jack told him. “Chloe will be down soon, hold on in there.”

Damien nodded, moving to sit on the floor and resting his back against the cool tiles of the wall and screwing his eyes up in pain.

As soon as Jack reached the main hub he explained what was wrong with Damien and Chloe rushed off to get the meds he would need, Jack located Ianto and told him what Damien had said.

“Is Gwen in yet?” Jack asked after he finished.

“She phoned while you were with Damien, her mam has been taken into hospital. The doctor thinks she may have suffered a mild stroke, of course Gwen has headed straight over there but she said to call if we needed her.” Ianto told him

“We'll leave her where she is for the moment.” Jack replied. “Lets see if we can contact whoever is sending that signal somehow.”

“But if we can't translate their signal why would they be able to make sense of what we send them?” Ianto asked.

“Doesn't hurt to try, I think Chloe's right this thing with the sheep is being caused by them and Damien's observations only confirm it.” Jack told him. “They want our sheep.”

“Alien sheep rustlers?” Ianto chuckled at the thought.

“Very possibly.” Jack told him, moving over to Chloe's workstation where the news page was still up on her monitor and checked for updates.

“Anything new?” Ianto asked, looking at the screen.

“No, not yet.” Jack told him. “Right, lets latch on to the frequency those aliens are using and see if we can put a stop to this situation with the sheep.”

An hour later they had isolated the frequency and sent a message to the ship in every alien language they had stored in the database, hoping that one of them would be recognised. All they could do now was wait and see if they got any response, which wasn't forthcoming by the time they left the hub for the evening.

As they headed out Jack set the system to alert them via his wrist strap, wanting to be home to see their children before they went to bed, having barely seen them in a week.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

Two days later and nothing had changed, they had the message sending out every half an hour on a loop but the aliens were either unable to interpret it or it was being ignored.

The sheep were still acting oddly, if the ones that escaped were captured and locked away then others would do that same and no matter what the farmers did to try and prevent them escaping they always seemed to find away unless they were locked in their barns.

The news did however catch on to the fact that the sheep were congregating at twelve separate locations around the UK, a few of the sheep had managed to get to the place they were drawn to by the signal and now with the agreement of the owners they were just waiting to see what happened.

And as yet that was all Torchwood could do as well, they aliens craft was too far away from them to do anything with it, except transmitting the signal and hoping for the best but they were losing hope of them answering.

“Damien, can we increase the strength of the signal?” Jack asked around lunchtime of the second day, happy to have the young man back even if he did still look a little pale around the gills.

“It's already at full strength.” Damien replied. “I've tried everything I can think of.”

“Gwen, anything from the police? Andy heard anything on the grapevine that they're keeping from the news?” Jack called across to her.

“No, he insists he know nothing more than anyone else.” Gwen said as Jack walked across the hub to her.

“How's your mum?” Jack asked her more quietly as he reached her workstation. “Anything Chloe can do for her?”

“She's doing well, it was a minor stroke and with medication she should be fine.” Gwen smiled at him weakly.

“You know you don't have to be here, don't you?” Jack told her.

“I need to keep myself busy, worrying about my mam twenty four hours a day won't do either of us any good, but thanks Jack.” She replied.

“Just keep it in mind if you need to see her, okay?” Jack said, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Gwen nodded, not trusting herself to speak as she felt a lump rise in her throat.

“Right, I need to pop out for a while.” Jack announced, heading towards the stairs of his office to collect his coat. “If Ianto asks where I've gone tell him ... just make something up.”

“What are you up to Jack?” Gwen asked, seeing the smile on his face.

“Just getting something I know he'll like.” Jack replied, jogging up the steps two at a time and back down again with his coat on a minute later.

“Come on, tell us.” Chloe urged as she appeared from the medical bay.

“No, no one knows until after I give it to Ianto.” Jack grinned before rushing off out the cog door.

“Any idea what he's up to?” Chloe asked Gwen.

“Not a clue.” Gwen frowned.

*

Jack's grin got bigger and bigger as he drove towards his destination, pulling into the driveway of the house which had the sign outside he parked the car and headed over to knock on the door.

“Hi, Captain Jack Harkness-Jones, I called this morning.” Jack said as soon as a plump, homely looking woman answered the door and giving her his patented smile . “Sorry I'm a little late.”

“Not a problem, call me Penelope.” The woman replied as Jack reached for her hand and kissed the back of it making her blush. “Come in, they're in the kitchen.”

Jack let go of her hand and followed her though the house to the kitchen at the back, following her through the door he spotted the bundles of fur in the basket set in one corner.

“One went to a home this morning.” She told Jack. “So there's only two left now – one boy, one girl - but take your pick.”

Jack moved closer to the basket and knelt down beside it, stroking the head of the puppies mother gently and asking her name.

“That's Sheba, this is her fourth litter of puppies, she's used to this now.” Penelope told him, watching how gentle he was with her.

“You're beautiful Sheba.” Jack told the bitch, tickling her under the chin as the puppies woke, aware that someone was near and began vying for his attention. “Your puppies do you credit.”

Sheba gave him an exhausted look, closed her eyes and settled down to sleep.

“Now.” Jack said, addressing the puppies. “Which one of you do I take home to my family?”

“Does your wife know you're getting a puppy?” Penelope asked as Jack picked up each pup in turn and looked more closely at it.

“My husband and no he doesn't know but he's been on at me for days about getting a puppy for the kids.” Jack told her with a grin.

“Your kids or his?” She replied without thinking. “Sorry none of my business.”

Jack shrugged. “They're our kids, that's all that matters.”

“Of course.” Penelope replied, feeling a little embarrassed.

“Hey, don't worry about it.” Jack reassured her. “Okay, I've made my decision.”

“Great.” She replied. “Let me know which one and I'll get all the paperwork.”

*

“Anyone seen Jack?” Ianto asked as he appeared from the archives.

“Not for a while, he said he had to pop out.” Gwen replied.

“Did he say where?” Ianto pushed.

“Not really, gone to see a man about a dog as they say.” Chloe added.

“Really?” Ianto asked, then noted the looks of confusion on his face. “Oh, I see what you mean.”

“Eh?” Damien said for the three of them.

“It's just a phrase that people use.” Ianto shrugged. “I just thought ...”

“You want a puppy?” Gwen said suddenly realising what he meant.

“For the twins.” Ianto replied. “They've been on about one for ages.”

“Come on, admit it, you want one too?” Chloe urged.

“I ... yep.” Ianto admitted with a smile.

“Maybe that's what he's gone to do, he was being rather secretive about where he was going.” Gwen told him smiling.

“I'm not getting my hopes up.” Ianto told them as his mobile rang in his pocket.

Taking it out Ianto couldn't help but smile when he saw Jack's name on the display, answering it with a cheery 'Jack.”

“Ianto, I need you to pop home.” Jack told him. “There's something you need to see.”

“Is it urgent?” Ianto asked. “Something wrong with one of the kids?”

“The kids are fine, just come home, okay?” Jack sighed.

“Fine, on my way.” Ianto told him, flipping his phone closed and turning to the others. “Apparently I'm needed at home, Jack has something to show me.”

“Oh does he!” Chloe chuckled making the other two burst out laughing.

Ianto just rolled his eyes, grabbed his coat and left the hub wondering what could be so important. Grabbed the keys to the SUV seeing that Jack must have taken their own car – the keys missing from the hook – and headed off home. 

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

The front door of their house was open before Ianto reached it, Jack standing in the doorway with a huge grin on his face and a scarf in his hand grabbed Ianto into a hug and kissed him softly before speaking.

“You took forever.” Jack told him, lifting up the scarf.

“Traffic. What's with the scarf?” Ianto asked, cocking his eyebrow.

“I have a surprise for you, may I?” Jack asked grinning.

“You don't normally ask.” Ianto chuckled. “Get on with it then.”

Ianto stood still while Jack covered his eyes with the scarf and tied it securely at the back of his head before leading him through their house, from their direction he knew they were heading into the living room.

“Ready?” Jack asked, excitement in his voice.

“Yep.” Ianto answered, prepared for anything Jack might have done.

“Ta da!” Jack said as he whipped the scarf off his head with a flourish.

“Oh my god!” Ianto gasped seeing the little bundles of fur curled asleep together in the basket before him, dropping to his knees as he spoke and stroking his hands over their soft fur. “Puppies, you got two puppies.”

“I couldn't choose between them, so I took them both.” Jack shrugged happily. “One boy, one girl.”

“Do they have names?” Ianto asked, picking up one pup and holding it close as it licked his chin making him giggle.

“No, I thought you'd like to name them.” Jack replied, moving to knee down beside his husband and pick the second puppy up.

Ianto held the puppy aloft in his arms aloft and studied it closely, a look of deep concentration on his face as he considered some names in his head.

“Chewie.” He stated, bringing his arms back down and cuddling the lively puppy.

“Chewie?” Jack asked with a grin as Ianto nodded. “So on that basis this little girl here is going to be called ... Princess?”

“How did you guess?” Ianto asked in surprise.

“Easy, Chewie is obviously Chewbacca from Star Wars, so logically this one is Princess Leia.” Jack laughed.

“Damn, you know me too well.” Ianto grinned, leaning over and kissing Jack softly on the lips. “Thank you.”

“Anything to make you happy.” Jack told him, kissing him back tenderly.

“The kids are going to explode with excitement.” Ianto said, putting the sleepy puppy back in the basket and softly stroking the top of it's head with his fingertips as it snuffled to sleep. “Does Claire know you got two?”

Jack placed Chewie's sister down beside them and watched them curl together as he replied a little sheepishly. “No, she wasn't home when I got here, I think she's taken Dylan and Jenni for a walk in the double buggy. Do you think she'll object?”

“When she sees these two bundles of fluff how could she.” Ianto told him, laughing at the worried look on Jack's face.

“They seem like calm puppies.” Jack told him, watching them sleep. “I'm sure they'll be no trouble.”

“They're puppies Jack, all puppies are full of mischief.” Ianto told him. “Make sure you don't leave anything lying around that you don't want chewed.”

“The kids will have to keep an eye on their toys too.” Jack said, thinking about their habit of leaving things on the floor.

“It'll teach them some responsibility like I said before, in more ways than one.” Ianto grinned. “Not only on taking care of puppies but making sure they do what they can to help train the puppies to not eat anything they shouldn't.”

“You think of everything.” Jack grinned, wrapping an arm around his lover and pulling him down off his knees and on top of him so they were laying in each others arms on the floor.

“I know.” Ianto agreed, pressing his lips to Jack's, kissing him hard as Jack rolled them so he was on top.

“We should get back to work.” Jack panted as the kiss broke.

“You're the boss and we can't leave the puppies alone.” Ianto rationalised, rolling them again so he was back on top.

“True.” Jack smirked. “And the house is empty.”

“I love the way your mind works.” Ianto said, grinding his crotch against Jack's. “But Claire could come home any minute with the babies.”

“Then we should be quick.” Jack told him, hand grabbing the back of his husbands head and pulling it up so he could kiss him desperately.

All Ianto could do was mumble “Mmmm” as Jack's tongue slid into his mouth, tasting him, teasing and tangling with his own.

Their clothed bodies rutting against each other, losing themselves in the kiss, hands tangled in each others hair while teeth clashed and lips bruised as the kiss grew more and more heated.

“I should thank you properly for the puppies.” Ianto panted when they pulled apart for air, hands moving to fumble with Jack's belt.

“Yeah.” Jack sighed in agreement, laying back while Ianto undid his trousers and slipped a hand inside, under his briefs. “That feels so good.”

“It's going to get better.” Ianto grinned as him, releasing Jack's cock from the confines of his underwear and swiping the flat of his tongue over it's swollen head.

Jack hips canted upwards, eager for more. Ianto lowered his mouth down over the engorged organ, taking it deep into his mouth. His tongue lapping over it, tasting his lovers unique flavour before relaxing his throat and taking his lovers cock down further and sucking hard.

Letting out a loud moan Jack arched his back off the floor, hand reaching down to grasp Ianto's hair and tugging on it. His eyes closed tightly in pleasure, feeling his orgasm building in his groin and spreading through his body before pulsating through his cock and shooting his come down his lovers throat with a yell of his name.

Jack was pulled sharply out of his post orgasmic haze when he felt something land on his chest, opening his eyes he couldn't help but chuckle as one of the puppies lay on his chest looking at him quizzically.

Letting Jack's now soft cock slip from between his lips Ianto sat up next to his lover, watching the other puppy as it slipped out of it's basket and crawled on it's belly towards Jack and licked his cheek.

“I think you worried the puppies.” Ianto grinned.

“First new rule, no sex in front of the puppies.” Jack laughed, lifting the puppy off his chest and sitting up to kiss Ianto softly, tasting himself in his mouth. “We should move this upstairs.”

“We should move their basket into the kitchen, they won't be able to do any da...” Ianto was cut off by the sound of the front door opening and closing. “Claire!”

Jack hurriedly tucked his cock back into his trousers but he was still zipping himself up when she walked into the room, smirking as she realised what had just happened.

“Sorry.” Claire said, trying not to laugh and then she spotted the puppies. “Oh my goodness, they are so cute.”

“Meet Chewie and Princess.” Ianto told her, thankful for the puppies distraction.

“You got two?” Claire asked Jack, trying to frown at him but failing miserably as she watched the puppies tumbling around the floor playing together.

“I couldn't bear to just take one and leave the other behind.” Jack pouted.

“Captain Harkness-Jones you are a big softie.” Claire laughed as Jack pouted even more. “Don't worry, your secret is safe with me.”

“You're not mad, that I got two without checking with you?” Jack asked her, taking Ianto's hand in his own and entwining their fingers.

“I should be, but hell, two puppies to look after can't be much more trouble than one.” Claire shrugged, sitting down on the floor with them and remembering what she had almost walked in on added. “But maybe you should refrain from having sex in front of them?”

“We didn't!” Ianto exclaimed, blushing a little. “Well, not exactly.”

“It's rule number one.” Jack grinned, pressing a chaste kiss to Ianto's cheek. “Nothing sexual in front of the puppies.”

“Or the nanny.” Claire said as she burst out laughing.

“Oh you wish.” Jack retorted, earning his a playful slap from his husband.

“Jack!” Ianto exclaimed rolling his eyes.

“Right, we should get back to work before I say anything else and Ianto throttles me.” Jack grinned. “Will you be okay with the babies and puppies?”

“Dylan and Jenni are napping, I'll be fine.” Claire assured them.

“They can't be walked until they've had their inoculations in a few weeks and their food is in the kitchen.” Jack told her as they all got to their feet. “We'll see you later.”

Giving the puppies a final stroke they left Claire cooing over them, stopping briefly on the hallway where the babies were sleeping in their buggy to kiss Dylan softly on the brow and them headed out the door.

Once they were outside they decided to leave their car where it was and got into the SUV, shutting the doors Jack pressed his hand to Ianto's crotch and kissed him tenderly.

“I think we should find something to do in the archives this afternoon.” Jack whispered into his husbands ear. “Finish what we started.”

“I can wait.” Ianto replied half heartedly as his cock twitched in his trousers.

“I can't.” Jack breathed onto his neck as he turned the key and started the SUV.

"Jack?" Damien's voice came over the comms as they headed for the hub. "We've had a response from the aliens after the sheep."

"Which language did they respond in?" Jack asked.

"Now that's the really weird thing!" Damien exclaimed. "You need to hear this."

"We'll be there in five." Ianto put in, pressing his foot down on the accelerator.

TBC

 

"Chewie" and "Princess"


	11. Chapter 11

“Damien, play me this message.” Jack yelled out across the hub over the sound of the sirens that were announcing their arrival.

“Ready and waiting.” Damien replied, stood at his workstation along with Chloe and Gwen.

“Right.” Jack said, pointing at the computer. “Hit it.”

Damien pressed the button and the message started to play, there was a few moments of static before a voice came over as clear as day.

“We come in peace, we come on peace.”

“But ... that's English ... and whoever it is sounds like they've been watching too many B movies.” Ianto frowned.

“That's it, that's all they said?” Jack asked, slightly confused as to what the point was of sending such a short message.

“Yes.” Damien nodded. “I sent another message asking who they were, why they wanted the sheep and so far there's not been another reply.”

“But it's English!” Gwen stated, echoing Ianto's own statement.

“Yeah, but the accents not from this time.” Jack replied. “Whoever this is, is from some point in the future.”

“When in the future and why do they want the sheep?” Chloe asked.

“I'd say somewhere after the 23rd Century, if you listen to the accent it's a jumbled mix of everything European with a hint of the east mixed in. As for why the want the sheep, I couldn't even hazard a guess.” Jack shrugged. “Until they give forth some more information ...”

“They seem very hesitant to talk.” Gwen replied. “How can we stop them doing whatever they want?”

“So far no more sheep have escaped and there's no more than a couple of dozen of them between all of the signal sites.” Chloe informed them. “The owners have agreed to let the sheep stay where they are until something happens, although I don't think they're going to be at all happy if the sheep are suddenly beamed away into space.”

“Right, we've been friendly and now it's time to get tough.” Jack said decisively. “I'm sending them another message, if they fail to respond then the sheep go back to their farms. Open the channel and set it to record, I want it sent out every fifteen minutes to them until the respond.”

“This is Captain Jack Harkness-Jones of Torchwood, I demand to know what you are planning for the sheep of this planet. I recognise from your accent that you are from Earth at some point of the future and if your aim is to harm these animals in some way then I'm afraid I can't condone it and we will take action to stop you. You have twenty four hours to respond.” Jack told them via the open channel. “If you fail to respond I will take further measures.”

“How will we stop them, they're too far out of reach?” Ianto asked.

“They don't know that but they do know of Torchwood and that we have things beyond this planets technology, it might be just enough to scare them.” Jack replied.

“They could just beam away the sheep they've attracted so far and we'd never know where or what they're going to do with them.” Gwen frowned.

“We'll just have to take that chance.” Jack told her. “I'm hoping they'll be holding out for more sheep before doing anything.”

“Right, the message is now on a loop and set to transmit every fifteen minutes as requested.” Damien informed Jack.

“Great, now I think I could really do with a coffee.” Jack grinned at Ianto.

“Hey, what was your surprise?” Gwen asked before Ianto could respond.

“Puppies, two gorgeous Alsation puppies.” Ianto beamed happily. “Chewie and Princess.”

“Star Wars names, cool!” Damien exclaimed.

“Don't forget to have Princess spade, you don't want them having puppies.” Chloe told them thoughtfully, being practical.

“You have no worries there.” Jack chuckled. “No way we're letting that happen.”

“And Claire would kill us!” Ianto added.

“How on earth will she cope with two babies and two puppies?” Gwen frowned.

“Claire agreed to it, do you think I'd go out and get puppies without asking her if she could cope?” Jack asked, Gwen didn't need to know that Claire had actually had only agreed to one.

“I guess so.” Gwen shrugged.

“Dylan and Jenni will have them to play with when they're bigger too.” Jack smiled.

“They'll love them.” Ianto told her. “Having a dog when I was little was great and the twins are going to go nuts when they get home from school.”

“But ...”

Gwen stop worrying.” Jack told her. “The babies and the puppies will be the best of friends, now I do believe someone mentioned coffee?”

“That was you Jack!” Ianto replied, rolling his eyes as he headed off towards the kitchenette to make it.

“Right, I have some calls to make.” Jack told the others, leaving the small group and climbing the steps to his office.

Ianto made them all coffee, handing them out as he walked across the hub and then headed up to Jack's office with Jack's and his own.

Jack was just putting the telephones receiver down when Ianto walked in, looking up he smiled at his husband and took his mug gratefully.

“The Prime Minister is wanting answers about this sheep situation.” Jack told him after taking a sip of his coffee. “I told him that we were doing all we could and that we would tell him everything we knew as soon as we did actually know anything.”

“Did you tell him about the message we got back?” Ianto asked, perching on the edge of the Captains desk.

“No, him knowing that won't be any use ... once we know exactly what we're dealing with, then we'll fill him in.” Jack replied.

“Do you really think they'll respond?” Ianto asked.

“No idea, they might just teleport the sheep away and leave us none the wiser but all we can do it wait and see.” Jack shrugged.

“Any idea why they ...” Ianto broke off as a strange look crossed Jack's face, he watched a his husband seemed to visibly pale in front of him and the look of panic cross his face as Jack's eyes widened in horror. The half full mug tumbled from the captains hand, spilling it's contents onto the floor as it fell.

Jack shouted one word. “No.” Before collapsing forwards and bashing his head on the edge of his desk.

“Jack!” Ianto yelled at him, getting no response as he carefully lifted his lovers head he yelled out for Chloe. 

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

Chloe had barely entered the Captains office when Jack groaned loudly, eyes still closed as he lifted his hands to his head and yelped as he touched the area on his forehead that had hit his desk.

“Jack?” Ianto said softly.

Jack opened his eyes slowly and found himself being watched intently by both his husband and Chloe, both with worried looks on their faces.

“What happened?” Jack asked, wincing at the pain in his temple.

“You yelled out 'No' and then passed out.” Ianto replied. “What's the last thing you remember.”

As Jack remembered why he had shouted out horror crossed his face again, unable to stop the tear that rolled down his face.

“It ... I ... oh god.” Jack uttered.

“Jack, tell me.” Ianto asked, getting more and more worried about his partner.

“I'll leave you to it, just shout again if you need me.” Chloe told them, feeling like she was intruding on something.

Ianto nodded his thanks to her and then turned his attention back to Jack.

“This image, this horrible image just hit me out of nowhere as you were talking to me.” Jack told him, his voice barely above a whisper. “I think it was connected to the dreams.”

“Tell me.” Ianto urged again.

“The baby, the one from my dreams ... there was something in her room, I couldn't see what but it had these long blades ...” Jack stuttered, clearly disturbed by the memory. “It sliced them through her while she slept, oh god the scream, no baby should ever scream like that and the blood ...”

Jack broke down completely, sobbing into his lovers chest as Ianto wrapped his arms tightly around him and kissed the top of his head.

“It's okay cariad, it's okay.” Ianto said, trying to soothe his lover. “It's over now.”

“But it's not, is it?” Jack replied, not lifting his head from his husbands chest. “Now the nightmares are invading my head when I'm not even asleep surely it can only get worse?”

“You still have no idea who the woman and the baby are?” Ianto replied softly.

“Other than that they seem to have been part of my life at some point, no.” Jack told him, finally lifting his head and looking into Ianto's eyes with his own red rimmed ones. “I don't even know, remember their names or when it was or even what damn planet we were living on.”

“Maybe this is a good thing, maybe it means the memories will come back faster if it's happening when you're awake?” Ianto suggested.

“A good thing? I get something invading my head that's so horrific that it make me pass out and that's a good thing?” Jack sneered, obviously upset with him.

“That's not what I meant Jack and you know it.” Ianto snapped back. “I meant that it could mean you could resolve this faster than if it was still just happening randomly when you sleep.”

“If you had seen what I had there is no way you would say something like that.” Jack told him, pulling himself from his lovers arms and grabbing his coat.

“Where are you going?” Ianto asked, following Jack out the office and down the steps.

“No idea, I need some fresh air.” Jack replied, increasing his pace across the hub floor towards the cog door.

“I'll come with you.” Ianto suggested but the look Jack gave him told him he wasn't welcome.

Ianto stood rooted to the spot as Jack left, not moving until the cog door rolled back into place and then turned to find three sets of eyes on him. Ignoring them all Ianto quickly headed down to the archives, not wanting to explain anything to his team mates, friends.

Changing direction a little he found himself in the children's nursery come playroom and threw himself into the armchair, he could understand what Jack was saying, why he was angry but he just wanted this to all be over so they could put it behind them.

“Ianto, can I talk to you?”

Looking up he nodded to Chloe, he knew Jack didn't want anyone else to know about the dreams and nightmares but he needed to talk to someone other than Jack about them.

Chloe sat on the edge of the small bed in the room and waited for him to speak.

“For the last few months, maybe two months after Dylan was born Jack's been having dreams and nightmares.” Ianto explained. “It seems to be memories that he was forced to forget pushing their way back into his conciousness.”

“Are you going to tell me what happens in them?” Chloe asked.

“He seems to be married to, or at least living with a brunette woman and they have a baby ... and they are murdered by someone, something in the most horrific way.” Ianto told her. “He's been getting random dreams, some of them just happy family stuff and some ... nightmares. Today while we were talking he had a flashback, it was so ... the shock was what caused him to pass out. He saw the baby killed.”

“Oh my god, and he really thinks these are repressed memories?” Chloe asked.

Ianto nodded. “There is no other reason for them and they must be part of the two missing years he has from his memory.”

“Well, that part makes sense but I thought the Time Agency stole them from him?” Chloe replied.

“That's what he always thought and it could still be the case but now he's not so sure.” Ianto told her. “I made the mistake of telling him that maybe if the memories are coming back while he's awake it could be a good thing ...”

“And Jack thought you were being insensitive to his feelings over them?” Chloe finished for him.

“Yep, but I didn't mean ... oh hell ... and now he's pissed off with me.” Ianto groaned.

“He'll strop off somewhere, think about it and realise what you meant.” Chloe assured him. “He's not stupid, daft sometimes yes, but not stupid and he knows that you love him and he'll figure out that you just want this all over with.”

“It's all so frustrating for him, I get that.” Ianto replied. “I wish something would bring the memories flooding back ... it's would be horrible for him I know but at least then we can work through it.”

“Do you have any idea what triggered them in the first place?” Chloe asked.

“No, not a clue.” Ianto frowned. “Look, don't mention any of this to Jack or anyone else, he didn't want anyone to know.”

“You know I won't, why don't you go and find him?” Chloe suggested. “He's probably calmed down a little by now.”

“Any ideas on what I can do to try and help him?” Ianto asked.

“Just be there for him, when all this finally becomes clear he's going to need you more than ever.” Chloe replied.

“I just hope this doesn't rip us apart.” Ianto replied, admitting his fears to himself for the first time as well as to Chloe.

“Ianto, go and find him, talk to him.” Chloe urged.

“Yeah.” Ianto agreed, getting to his feet and walking back up to the main hub with his friend. “Thanks Chloe.”

“You're welcome, now get gone.” She said, pushing him towards the cog door.

“What's wrong?” Gwen asked once Ianto was out of the hub.

“They just had a tiff, nothing to worry about.” Chloe told her.

Something in Chloe's tone told Gwen not to push it any further but it just made her even more worried for her boss and his husband.

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

Finding both their own car and the SUV in the car park told Ianto that Jack hadn't gone too far, but it still meant there was a few places he could be.

Scanning the skyline once he reached the Plass he couldn't see his husband perched on the edge of any of the high buildings, taking a moment or two to decide where to try next he headed off to the small coffee shop nearby.

Peering through the widow he could see Jack huddled in a corner at the back sipping what he knew would be an espresso and judging by the amount of small cups on the table before him it wasn't his first.

Taking a deep breath Ianto pushed open the door and walked into the quiet coffee shop, he made his way to where Jack sat without placing an order of his own although their coffee was perfectly passable and slid onto the seat opposite his lover.

Jack glanced up briefly at his husband before looking down into his coffee cup again.

“Don't you think you had enough of them?” Ianto asked after a few seconds of uncomfortable silence.

Jack scanned the half a dozen empty cups on the table between them and shrugged, his eyes so red rimmed that Ianto knew the tears had continued on for some while after he'd stormed out.

“Leave me alone Ianto.” Jack grunted, draining the last of his current coffee and setting the cup in the table with the rest.

“Jack ... I didn't ... look I know these dreams, nightmares are hurting you and when I said it was good that they were coming when you're away now was a good thing I didn't mean it how you thought I did.” Ianto tried to explain. “I meant that maybe the memories would come back faster, soon so that we can work out what they mean and put them behind us.”

“That I'll remember a family I used to have, who or what murdered them and then forget about them all again?” Jack hissed.

“No!” Ianto replied, trying to keep calm. “I know it's going to be hard, that you'll be grieving for them again but we can't let this ... Jack I don't want to lose you.”

“Is that all you're worried about, that you'll lose me?” Jack snarked.

“I'll be there for you, whatever happens, whatever you remember.” Ianto told him. “I ... just let me be there for you, okay?”

“I'm scared, scared of what I'm going to remember.” Jack admitted. “It was bad enough when they came to me in my sleep, I don't know if I can cope with them coming to me randomly when I'm awake too.”

Ianto reached out and ran a finger gently over the vivid purple bruise on Jack's forehead where it had hit the captains desk less than an hour beforehand, then down the side off his face to cup his cheek.

“We'll get through this together, I love you so much and I hate seeing you like this.” Ianto told him. “I wish there was something I could do to stop them again but I can't and we'll just have to take it as it comes.”

“In one way I need to know what these dreams are about, to find out the truth about my missing two year.” Jack replied. “But on the other I now wish they had never started.”

“And I will be with you every step of the way.” Ianto promised.

Jack nodded slowly. “I'm sorry.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for, lets get out of here.” Ianto replied. “I'll call the team, let them know we'll be at home if they need us.”

“Yeah, I just need to use the loo first.” Jack told him, indicating the empty cups on the table.

Ianto called Chloe and told her he had found Jack he was taking him home, he didn't need to explain any further and she told him they'd call only if they really needed them.

When Jack reappeared a few minutes later he looked as white as a sheet, Ianto jumped up from his seat and rushed across the short distance to his lover.

“Jack?”

“It happened again, exactly the same image as before.” Jack told him. “That poor baby, how could they ... just get me home Ianto.”

Wrapping an arm around his husbands waist for support Ianto led him out of the coffee shop and down to their car, settling Jack into the passenger seat before running around to the drivers side and getting in quickly.

Jack was quiet as they made their way home, his head resting back against the headrest, his eyes closed as his colour slowly came back to his face.

The moment they were indoors the twins were hurling themselves towards them, still in their school uniforms they can't have been home long Ianto thought momentarily until they spoke.

“Daddy's hurt.” Eloise frowned.

“And sad.” Caden added, frowning at his dada accusingly. “And he was scared before.”

“Daddy had a nap and had a bad dream.” Ianto explained, lifting Eloise into his arms while Caden wrapped himself around his daddy's legs. “The dream made him hurt his head but he'll be okay.”

“The dream made me sad, not dada.” Jack told them, attempting to smile. “I just need to rest and then my headache will go away.”

“Why was daddy scared?” Eloise demanded.

“The bad dream scared him.” Ianto told her. “But it was just a dream.”

Jack glanced at Ianto, giving him the same weak smile for attempting to explain to the twins what had happened without telling them the details. The fact that they could sense his moods wherever he was no worried him a little, their telepathic abilities seemed to be growing with each passing day.

“Now, let daddy go so he can go upstairs and rest.” Ianto told Caden, putting Eloise back down on her feet. “Jack, I'll be up in a few minutes with some painkillers.”

Watched by the twins Ianto kissed his husband softly on the lips and whispered softly in his ear that he loved him before leading the twins off with him while Jack climbed the stairs up to their room.

“What did daddy dream?” Eloise asked.

“It was nothing sweetheart, just a bad dream.” He told her, crouching down to her level. “Remember what we told you about bad dreams?”

“They're not real and can't hurt us.” Caden piped up.

“Now, where's Claire?” Ianto asked.

Both sets of eyes grew suddenly bright with excitement as they both shouted. “With the puppies!”

“Daddy got them for us.” Ianto told them, letting himself be led through to the living room where the pups were curled around each other asleep. “Did Claire tell you their names?”

“Chewie and Princess.” Eloise squealed.

Claire was sat on the floor cross legged stroking the puppies in turn softly on their heads, both Dylan and Jenni asleep in their bouncy chairs nearby.

“How's it going?” Ianto asked, nodding towards the pups.

“We'll, it's only been a few hours and the puppies are still sleeping a lot, so good.” She told him. “Is Jack okay? The twins got upset earlier saying their daddy was sad and hurt?”

Ianto nodded. “He's fine, I'm just going to take him some painkillers for his headache.”

“Rhys'll be here to collect Jenni soon and then I'll get dinner on the go.” Claire told him. “Let me know if I can do anything.”

“Thanks Claire, I might say with him for a while.” Ianto told her with a small smile, reaching down to tickle the puppies soft heads before heading to the kitchen to find the painkillers.

When he reached the bedroom he found Jack curled up on his side, from his breathing he knew his lover was asleep. Placing the painkiller and glass of water on the bedside table Ianto slipped quickly down to his underwear and slid in to bed behind his lover, spooning against his back and wrapping an arm tightly around him.

Ianto placed a small kiss to the back of Jack's neck, breathing in his unique scent as he snuggled closely to his lover. Jack might be scared of what the dreams were trying to tell him but Ianto was even more scared, scared that they would bring him even more heartbreak.

Why else would the memories have been wiped from his mind to begin with? And was the Time Agency responsible or did Jack wipe them from his mind himself?

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

The following morning Ianto woke to find Jack watching him in the early morning light with a strange look on his face, without saying a word Jack reached out and stroked his fingers down his lovers face before leaning forwards to kiss him softly on the lips.

“No bad dreams?” Ianto asked carefully.

“No dreams at all that I can remember.” Jack told him. “I'm sorry for how I acted yesterday.”

“I understand, honestly I do.” Ianto replied. “Just don't shut me out, whatever happens.”

“Sometimes I wonder why you're still with me? I mean, after all we've gone through, with John and Gray to start with.” Jack asked. “Even after I abandoned you all and ran after the Doctor you still forgave me and took me back and now this, I have no idea exactly what's going to come out, you might end up hating me.”

“I'm still with you because I love you, from that first time we ever met when you were fighting the weevil in the park I felt drawn to you.” Ianto replied. “By the time ... Lisa was discovered I knew I was only trying to save her because I I felt I had to, I did still love her but I wasn't in love with her because I had started falling in love with you.”

Jack nodded slowly. “That's why I didn't execute you, or even retcon you.” Jack replied, moving closer to his husband. “I had feelings for you even then, I can't pretend it was love then, but I couldn't bear to lose you even though you had put us all in so much danger.”

“Which is exactly why we can't let what's happening pull us apart, we've been through too much.” Ianto replied.

“Sometimes I feel like I really don't deserve you, I love you so much.” Jack told him. “Even with Estelle, or any of my past lovers I never wanted to settle down and do this, be with someone completely and utterly.”

“Be so domestic?” Ianto asked with a small chuckle.

“Yeah, a husband, kids and now even puppies.” Jack laughed softly. “I don't want anything else other than to be with you for as long as possible.”

“Don't you miss it? Being the intergalactic Casanova you were?” Ianto grinned.

“I wouldn't change things for the world.” Jack grinned back. “I have no inclination to be anywhere else but here.”

“Good.” Ianto growled good naturedly, rolling his husband onto his back and kissing him thoroughly.

Jack flipped them so he was on top.

“I know Dylan is only a few months old and I don't mean this minute but ... I've been thinking, when you said before about wanting to carry my child ... would you if you could?” Jack asked his lover hesitantly.

“I also said after seeing what you've gone through with each pregnancy I wasn't sure I could.” Ianto frowned. “But it's a mute point, I can't have children.”

“Before men evolved to carry children naturally there was a procedure available in the 32nd century, to implant an artificial womb and hormonal treatment so that the man would produce eggs in the same way I can.” Jack explained. “After that it was up to nature for pregnancy to happen but they did and usually very successfully by the time they had perfected it.”

“But ... okay, assuming I agreed to this how?” Ianto asked.

“The Doctor, he could take us to the end of the 32nd century.” Jack replied.

“I can't see him agreeing, he wasn't exactly thrilled at first when you became pregnant with the twins.” Ianto replied.

“All we can do is ask?” Jack replied hopefully, with a smile. “I'd love to know you were carrying my baby, seeing you belly grow.”

“I'll think about it, is that good enough?” Ianto asked, unconsciously placing a hand on his flat belly.

“Good enough for me.” Jack replied grinning widely.

“We should get up to have breakfast with the twins, they were so worried about you last night.” Ianto said, kissing Jack lightly and moving out of his arms.

“Yeah.” Jack agreed, following his husband out of bed and grabbing his dressing gown. “Breakfast as a family, it doesn't happen very often in this house and that includes Claire.”

“She is one of the family.” Ianto agree, opening the bedroom door and leading the way downstairs.

They found the twins sat at the kitchen table eating their cereal, the puppies bed in the corner of the room and Claire feeding Dylan his bottle.

“Morning.” Claire said brightly as they entered the room.

“Daddy, dada.” Both twins shouted almost in unison, making to get down from their chairs.

“No, stay there and eat your breakfast.” Ianto told them, going to fetch them both coffee as Jack sat down opposite them.

“Daddy, you seem happy today?” Eloise asked, giving him a curious look.

“No bad dreams last night and dada and I had a good talk this morning.” Jack told her.

“A good talk eh?” Claire grinned, cocking an eyebrow at them.

“Hey!” Jack pouted. “We do ... just talk sometimes.”

Both Ianto and Claire burst out laughing at the look in Jack's face.

“What's funny daddy?” Caden asked.

“Nothing bub.” Jack replied, joining in with the laughing. “Just grown up stuff.”

“I can't wait to be grown up.” Eloise grumbled.

“Oh no, you make the most of being a kid.” Ianto told her. “I ...”

Ianto was cut off as Jack's mobile rang out in his coat pocket in the hall.

“I better get that.” Jack said, getting up from the table and leaving the kitchen.

“When can we take the puppies to the park dada?” Caden asked.

“In a few weeks, they have to have special injections from the vet to stop them catching nasty things first, so they don't get sick.” Ianto told them.

“That was Damien.” Jack said, returning to the kitchen. “There's been another message.”

“Did he say what it said?” Ianto asked, draining the last of his coffee.

“They want to negotiate.” Jack replied.

“That could be interesting.” Ianto grinned.”We'd better go and get dressed.”

“You know, we never did have a 'Naked Friday' day at the hub.” Jack mused out loud as they headed upstairs.

“There's a reason for that Jack, you were the only one willing to participate.” Ianto chuckled, slapping Jack playfully on the arse and then running past him into the bathroom to use it first.

Jack got their clothes ready, picking out a deep red shirt for Ianto to wear with his jeans that day and lying them ready for him on the bed before doing the same with his own while wondering just what the 'sheep rustlers' as they were calling them were up to now.

TBC


	15. Chapter 15

Walking into the hub through the cog door they could see Gwen, Damien and Chloe all huddled around Damien's workstation, the all glanced in their direction before looking back at the computer monitor.

“Have they sent another message?” Jack asked, slipping out of his coat and draping it over his arm.

“That's the strange thing, they've been sending us pictures of sheep.” Gwen told him, clearly confused. “Some of them we didn't recognise and looked up on line and found they were very old, extinct breeds which was a little strange but there are still others we haven't been able to identify which apparently come with already coloured fleeces!”

“Now that would be handy.” Ianto chuckled as Jack looked closer at the screen, Damien scrolling slowly through the images.

“Those ones are from the future and not too far away.” Jack informed them, pointing not only and the ones that had fleeces of varying shades but a couple that seemed twice the size of a normal sheep. “I think they were bred in the late 23rd century but they were just a phase, they couldn't keep up with the increasing need for alternative colours so in the end it was deemed that they should be phased out and go back to the old way of dying the wool.”

“You're kidding me, those things are real?” Chloe scoffed.

“I kid you not.” Jack chuckled. “Was there any explanation for all the sheep pictures at all?”

“Apparently these are the ones they want.” Damien replied, pointing to the two pictures of a two very familiar breed of sheep. “The other pictures were to donate which ones they weren't interested in.”

“Always good to be specific.” Ianto deadpanned.

“So, when is this negotiation meant to happen?” Jack asked Damien. “Are they going to use a video link or keep it the same as before?”

“They haven't said but we have the monitor ready to pick up any signal for either.” Damien confirmed. “They should be contacting us in about ten minutes.”

“Right, time for a cup of coffee first then.” Jack replied, flicking a glance at his husband.

“Coming right up.” Ianto replied cheerfully, heading off to the kitchen mumbling good naturedly to himself about teaching someone else how to use the coffee machine and then shrugging off the idea again when he thought about how many ways they could break it.

Coffee made Ianto placed all the mugs on a tray, smiling to himself that Jack was still using the blue stripy mug he had favoured for so long and carried them carefully back to the main hub.

He had barely got half way there when the intruder alarms went off, startling the life out of him the tray leapt from his hands and the mugs crashed to the floor, broken crockery and coffee splattering all over the hard everywhere.

Ianto was glued to the spot as a blinding white light appeared in the middle of the hub, his gun in his hand and aiming at it more from instinct than conscious thought as the white light slowly shimmered away to leave a very humanoid woman standing before them.

“Someone turn of those damn alarms.” Jack yelled, webley aimed directly as the woman before him, sighing with relief when silence reigned again.

She was beautiful, her skin was pale but not outside the realms of human and her hair was a vivid purple which appeared to be natural. Her clothes were close fitting and appeared to be made of a fabric that seemed to change between shades of green and purple depending on how the light caught them.

She was tall, as taller than Jack or Ianto standing in her long black boots, the heels impossibly high as she stood there with her hands on her hips looking around at each of them in turn as wondering who she should address herself to.

“Well, that's certainly not the kind of welcome I was expecting to arrive to.” She said haughtily in a very Welsh accent. “I am unarmed, I am here merely to negotiate.”

Not lowering his gun Jack replied. “If you had made it known in advance you were planning on coming here personally then maybe you would have got a more pleasing reception.”

“Did we not make that clear? I'm so sorry, please forgive me.” She replied apologetically. “Maybe you can put away your weapons because I can assure you that you won't be needing them and we can start again? My name is Syrina, I'm from Earth in the future, 2428 to be exact and you are Captain Jack Harness I assume?”

Slowly Jack lowered his weapon and holstered it, the others following suit as Jack replied.

“You are Welsh? I thought the accent had died out by then, not that I'm one to complain about the sound of those beautiful vowels.” Jack said, moving towards the woman and missing Ianto's eye roll.

“You are correct, my accent is being enhanced by an implant in my throat, controlled by our on-board computer. We were correct in assuming this accent is correct for this era?” Syrina replied.

“It's perfect.” Jack replied, letting his trademark grin cross his face. “Captain Jack Harkness at your service.”

“Good to meet you Captain, is that coffee I can smell?” She enquired.

All eyes turned to Ianto still stood by the puddle by his feet and then back to Syrina.

“Coffee?” Gwen asked. “They still drink coffee in the 25th century, I thought it would have been outlawed by then as a drug.”

“It's not the same as it is now but it's drinkable but I believe in this century it tastes like heaven in a cup, could I be as bold as to ask for some while we talk?” Syrina asked.

“Of course ma'am.” Ianto told her. “I'll just clean up this mess, Jack, maybe we should adjourn to the conference room?”

“Good idea, Gwen would you escort Syrina there along with Chloe and Damien and I'll be with you in a few minutes.”

Jack caught up with Ianto who was already grabbing the mop and dustpan and brush from the cupboard in the kitchenette and took the mop off him, grabbing the bucket before his husband could complain.

“Jack, you have a guest to see to.” Ianto told him reaching out to take the mop.

“You're not just the coffee boy or butler anymore beautiful and if I want to help my husband clear up his mess to he can be at the meeting then I shall.” Jack grinned.

“Well, if you put it like that.” Ianto grinned back, flicking on the coffee machine and striding out into the main hub with the dustpan and brush leaving Jack to follow him.

Jack used the mop to absorb the worst of the spilt coffee and then Ianto brushed the damp crockery into the dustpan with the brush, carrying it to the rubbish bin in the kitchenette before getting more mugs out to make the coffee.

“All done.” Jack told him, rinsing the mop and bucket before stowing them away, placing a kiss to the back of his husbands neck then leaning against to wall to watch him work.

“I broke your mug.” Ianto told him as he filled the new ones with coffee and added the sugar bowl and milk just to the tray.

“It's only a mug.” Jack smiled. “Come on, lets see what she has to say for herself.”

“Do you think we can trust her?” Ianto asked, lifting the tray.

“She is unarmed, lets just hope she is what she appears to be.” Jack replied.

“A gorgeous sheep farmer from the future?” Ianto asked with a chuckle.

“Gorgeous? I never noticed.” Jack replied with a grin as they made their way up to the conference room.

TBC


	16. Chapter 16

Ianto placed the tray of coffees on the conference table and addressed their guest.

“Milk and sugar?” Ianto asked Syrina, indicating them on the tray with the teaspoon in his hand.

“A little milk, thank you.” Syrina replied politely in her Welsh accent making Ianto smile.

Ianto poured some milk from the little jug into one of the mugs, stirred it and handed it to the alien.

All eyes were on Syrina as she first sniffed the beverage, taking the aroma of the coffee deep into her lungs before sipping it tentatively and then breaking into a huge smile.

“Delicious!” Syrina exclaimed.

“Ianto's coffee is the best in the universe.” Jack told her proudly while Ianto handed out the rest of the coffees to the team. “Shall we sit?”

Jack couldn't help but notice that Gwen and Chloe seemed to be studying their guest with unashamed curiosity and that Damien was watching her in the way that any man would an attractive woman.

Damien, sensing he had been sussed out pulled his eyes away from the alien and focused on the coffee in his hands where as Chloe and Gwen continued to watch the woman unabashed.

“It your hair naturally that colour?” Gwen asked unable to contain the question any longer.

Syrina tossed the long, silky purple locks over her shoulder and ran her fingers through them making all three men in the room gulp hard.

“We are all born with white hair but we can choose what colour we wish it to be.” Syrina replied. “When I was little I went through a phase of having it pink and then rainbow coloured but it's been purple now for some while, this colour seems to suit me.”

“That's just so cool!” Chloe exclaimed, thinking how annoying it was to keep her hair the colour she dyed it. “How, do you it, just think it?”

“Basically, yes.” Syrina told her, closing her eyes and looking like she was concentrating for a moment or two, making them all gasp when her hair turned vivid yellow.

“See?” Syrina laughed at the look on their faces, then reversed the process to it want back to the purple she had arrived with.

“Amazing” Gwen stated a little in awe. “Just amazing.”

“Yeah, well, that's all well and good but maybe we should get back to the matter in hand?” Jack suggested.

“Sorry.” Gwen muttered, taking a sip of her coffee.

“Why do you want our sheep?” Jack asked her directly.

“Sheep became extinct more than a two hundred years ago, no one wanted wool anymore.” Syrina explained. “Natural products made way for more man made fabrics and yarns, less hassle than sheering a sheep, preparing and dying the wool. There were a few sheep for a while in the few farms that were left, more for their historical value than anything else but eventually they died and there was no way to replace them.”

“So why do you want them now?” Ianto asked her curiously.

“There's a growing demand again for everything more natural.” Syrina shrugged. “People are growing cotton again for example with seeds collected from the past and now it seems that wool is on the agenda.”

“Taking some seeds to grow cotton is a lot different to sheep rustling!” Gwen told her with a little disgust. “The farmers around here rely on their sheep for their income, you can't just take them.”

“Rustling?” Syrina asked.

“Stealing, rustling is another word for taking something that doesn't belong to you.” Damien told her. “Isn't that illegal in the future?”

“Of course it is ...” Syrina replied, only to be cut short by Ianto.

“Then what makes you think you can come here and just lure ours away?” He asked.

“We didn't think anyone would notice a few going missing from each flock.” She replied.

“You didn't think the farmers wouldn't spot some of their sheep acting odd and escaping to trek across the countryside to meet up with sheep they had never met in their life?” Jack asked her.

“Perhaps they hoped we'd think they'd found each other on a sheep dating site on the internet?” Ianto chuckled softly, then stopped when Jack gave him a look. “Sorry.”

“We went about it the wrong way, I can see that now.” Syrina admitted. “But surely there's some way we can get what we want?”

“If we let you do this then you need to offer the farmers something for their sheep, just taking them isn't an option.” Jack told her. “We have your ships location, if you even attempt to take the sheep without permission we will blast you out of the sky.”

“I'm not sure what we might have that could possibly want.” Syrina replied.

“Then I suggest you give it some thought.” Jack replied.

“I should go back and consult with the others on my ship.” Syrina told him, getting to her feet. “I promise we won't attempt to take the sheep.”

“Fair enough.” Jack told her. “But don't take too long to reach a decision, this matter needs sorting out as soon as possible.”

“I understand.” Syrina replied, pressing a button on the slim bracelet around one wrist and then vanished in another bright flash of light.

“Do you believe her?” Gwen asked, handing her empty mug to Ianto along with Damien's and Chloe's.

“Not really, but we'll just have to wait and see.” Jack replied. “Damien, keep an eye on that ship, make sure it doesn't do anything suspicious.”

“Of course.” Damien told him, getting up from his chair and heading back down to his workstation.

“Okay, everyone back to work.” Jack said, getting to his feet. “Ianto, any chance of more coffee?”

“Sure.” Ianto told him with a smile, grabbing the tray and heading off to the kitchenette.

Ianto made more coffee for everyone while he was there and headed back into the main hub, handing mugs out to Chloe, Gwen and Damien he walked up the steps to Jack's office.

Nearly dropping the tray for the second time that day Ianto managed to shove it onto Jack's desk before rushing to his still form on the floor, blood oozing from a cut on his forehead.

TBC


	17. Chapter 17

“Jack?” Ianto called out to him, dropping beside him in his knees. “Shit.”

Ianto pulled out his handkerchief and carefully cleaned the blood from Jack's forehead, it was already well on the way to healing but the blossoming bruise around it had already reached the deep purple stage.

Pulling off his jumper, thankful he'd put a t shirt on beneath he folded it up into a makeshift pillow, carefully lifted Jack's head and placed it below and then got back to his feet and moved swiftly back to the doorway.

“Chloe.” Ianto called out, then added as the young medic came into view. “Jack's knocked himself out, I just need you to check his vitals.”

“I'll just be a moment.” Chloe replied, vanishing from sight again.

Ianto moved back to Jack and resumed his position beside his lover, Chloe appearing a few moment later with her stethoscope.

“Any idea what happened?” Chloe asked, crouching down and placing the stethoscope to Jack's chest.

“Nope, I came up with our coffees and he was out cold here on the floor.” Ianto told him.

“His breathing and heart rate are normal.” Chloe told him, pulling the stethoscope from her ears. “Looks like he just knocked himself out on the edge of his desk, he should come around soon enough.”

“Question is, what made him fall in the first place?” Ianto asked, taking Jack's hand in his own and willing him to wake up.

Chloe glanced about the office floor, her eyes settling on what she assumed to be the culprit she reached down and picked the offending up and with it dangling from her fingers she replied to Ianto.

“I think this might have something to do with it.”

Glancing around Ianto groaned at the sight of the roller skate Chloe was holding.

“How many times do we have to tell the twins not to leave their toys laying around?” Ianto grumbled to himself. “And how the hell did that get up here anyway?”

“No idea.” Chloe chuckled. “I'll get it back to the playroom.”

“Thanks, you know, one of these days I think I'm going to head into the cells and find one of the Weevils wearing them or playing with Logo!” Ianto laughed.

“With your kids, nothing would surprise me.” Chloe told him. “He's going to have a bit of a headache when he comes around, which I guess is about now.”

With a rather dramatic groan Jack's hand shot to his head and his eyes opened slowly, looking up into his lovers worried face.

“What the hell happened?” Jack asked, grimacing in pain as his fingers pressed against his bruised forehead.

“You took a bit of a tumble and knocked yourself out.” Ianto explained while Chloe left the room discretely. “Don't you remember?”

“I remember coming in here ... and then my foot shooting out from beneath me as if on wheels and then nothing.” Jack replied, pulling himself into a sitting position.

“It was a roller skate.” Ianto told him. “One of the twins must have had it up here for some reason the last time they were here.”

“I'll be having words with them later.” Jack grumbled.

Getting off his knees and back on his feet Ianto helped the Captain up, drew him into his arms and carefully kissed the bruise which was now beginning to yellow around the edges.

“Don't be too hard on them, they didn't do it on purpose.” Ianto told him.

“What if it had been you?” Jack asked. “You wouldn't have recovered so fast.”

“Fine, we'll remind them again about the dangers of leaving toys around on the floor.” Ianto conceded. “Now, sit.”

“Yes Sir!” Jack replied with a mock salute.

Ianto handed him his now luke warm coffee and then took a sip of his own.

“Do you need any painkillers?” Ianto asked. “That was one hell of a cut on your head.”

“No, it's just a dull ache, it'll be gone soon.” Jack told him. “But kissing it better wouldn't hurt.”

“Really?” Ianto laughed, placing his mug back down on the desk he moved to Jack's side of the desk and placed another kiss to Jack's brow. “Better?”

“A little.” Jack smirked, grabbing Ianto around the waist and pulling him down onto his lap.

“Maybe this'll help more?” Ianto asked before placing a chaste kiss to the Captains lips.

“I'm not sure, you should try that again.” Jack pouted.

Ianto pressed his lips to Jack's again, this time his lips lingering on his lovers, feeling Jack's tongue seeking entry to his mouth he parted them invitingly and wrapped his arms around Jack's neck as the kiss deepened.

Jack's arms wound around Ianto's torso, holding him tightly on his lap, his headache completely forgotten, neither of them seeing Chloe reappear at the doorway to the office.

Nor did they hear her mutter. “Well, he must be feeling okay then.” Before heading back down to the main hub again.

*~*~*

“So, anything from Syrina yet?” Jack asked Gwen when they emerged from his office sometime later.

“Nothing, but it's only been a few hours.” She told him.

“I don't like this, the longer that take the more I'm worried that they're just going to steal them anyway.” Jack frowned.

“Do we really have the means to destroy their ship?” Chloe asked.

“No, but they don't know that.” Jack replied.

“So if they do decide just to take them there's nothing we can do about it?” Chloe asked.

“Nothing, nowt, nada!” Ianto told them, appearing by Jack's side looking a little dishevelled.

“Send them another message using the same wavelength as before, don't threaten them but make it clear that we want an answer sooner rather than later.” Jack told Damien.

“Consider it done.” Damien replied, setting to work on doing so.

“Right, I need some fresh air, my head is still feeling fuzzy after my fall.” Jack told them. “Time for lunch, coming with me Ianto?”

“I'll get our coats.” Ianto told him, wanting to try the new bakers that had opened around the other side of the bay.”

Once outside Jack took Ianto's hand and they walked across the Plass, all thoughts of sheep and aliens forgotten as they enjoyed the rare afternoon sunshine.

TBC


	18. Chapter 18

Some while after lunch Damien let out a whoop of excitement causing Gwen to swivel her chair around to face him.

“I take it that means you've done something good?” Gwen asked as Jack came down the stairs from his office.

“The signal that's aimed at the sheep, I've isolated it and I think I know how I can block it completely.” Damien told them with a grin on his face.

“Will it stop them transporting the sheep to their ship?” Gwen asked him.

“No, but it means we can get the sheep back home to their farms.” Damien told her with pride. “And they won't be at the locations they intended to transport them from.”

“So, we send the sheep home? Won't they know what we've done?” Jack frowned.

“Yeah, but once the sheep aren't under their control anymore the ball is in our court.” Damien replied. “We are the ones in control of the situation.”

“Maybe we could talk to the farmers involved, some of the ones here in Wales and see if they are willing to donate one sheep each, a total of six.” Gwen suggested. “Three male and three females, I know it's not many but if they breed them ...”

“Is it enough though?” Damien asked, glancing back and forth between Jack and Gwen.

“It's better than none.” Jack stated. “They haven't replied again to the new message you sent?”

“No, nothing yet.” Damien confirmed.

“Right, I want the two of you to go and visit the local farmers and put the proposition to them.” Jack replied. “Do your best to convince them that they will be giving up the sheep for the good of the earth and try to get them to donate them. If that doesn't work then offer them a payment, there's plenty of money in the Torchwood account, but don't give in easily.”

“How much do we offer, it it gets to it?” Gwen asked.

“I'll get Ianto onto that, he can check on-line for the average price of the breeds they want.” Jack replied. “Once we know we'll relay the information.”

“We'll get onto it now.” Damien said, pulling his jacket off the back of his chair and slipping it on as he got to his feet.

“I have a feeling this might take some while.” Gwen sighed. “I better phone Rhys and let him know I'll probably be late again.”

“Tell him we'll make it up to him when all this is over, dinner somewhere of his choice.” Jack replied, walking to the cog door with them.

“I'll tell him not to hold his breath too.” Gwen laughed.

Jack headed down to the archives to find Ianto, he finally found him in the room they had converted into a nursery come playroom going through the kids toys, with a huge pile beside him.

“What are you doing, filing the toys into colours and size?” Jack chuckled.

“I got distracted, I only popped in here to see if the other roller skate was in here and not lurking around the hub somewhere.” Ianto explained. “When I spotted Eloise's old doll house in the corner, broken and I ended up sorting out the toys. This lot here needs throwing, easier to do when the kids aren't here to stake a claim on everything.”

“And the filing you actually came down here to do?” Jack grinned, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

“Sitting over there in a pile.” Ianto replied, nodding towards the recliner on the other side of the room. “It's not like they're going anywhere.”

“Well, I'm going to drag you away from your task for a while, we need to find the current selling price of the average sheep.” Jack told him. “Damien's worked out a way to block the signal that's agitating the sheep and he and Gwen are off talking to the local farmers, in the hope that they'll all donate one for free.”

“And if not offer to buy one?” Ianto finished for him, getting up off his knees and shoving the broken toys he had sorted so far into a black rubbish sack.

“Yeah, if you search for one of the breeds and I search for the other we can let them know how much to offer.” Jack replied, pushing himself off the wall and taking the sack Ianto handed him.

“Let me just get the rest of this stuff in another sack and I'll be right with you.” Ianto replied, filling another sack almost to the brim and then following Jack out the playroom to dump them by the door that led out to the parking garage to dispose of later.

Once back up in the main hub they each logged onto their computers and started their search, within twenty minutes they had the information they needed and fed it to Gwen and Damien via the comms.

“Now we just have to wait for Syrina to get back to us.” Jack told Ianto when he made his way down to the younger man's workstation.

“Do you think we can trust her?” Ianto asked, letting Jack massage his shoulders from behind.

“No, which is why we need this back up plan.” Jack admitted. “I just hope the others can secure us six sheep before she tries anything underhand or come back with an impossible offer.”

“So, we just have to wait now?” Ianto asked, grabbing Jack's hands with his own and pulling them downwards to his chest so Jack's chest was pressing against his shoulders and then tilted his head around to steal a quick kiss.

“Yeah.” Jack replied softly, kissing him back.

“Is Chloe still here?” Ianto asked mischievously.

“She's in the medical bay, I could send her home early?” Jack suggested, grinning widely.

“Now that sounds like a plan.” Ianto chuckled, freeing Jack's hands. “I'll meet you in the playroom in ten minutes.”

“The playroom?” Jack asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“It's been a long time since we made use of that lovely, large recliner.” Ianto grinned.

“Five minutes.” Jack told him, running off across the hub towards the medical bay.

TBC


	19. Chapter 19

Arriving at the playroom Jack grinned at the sight before him, his husband had stripped down to his briefs and was currently crouching down and sifting through the toys again, tossing broken ones into a pile.

“It's only been ... six minutes since I went to tell Chloe to go home.” Jack said with a chuckle. “Were you really that bored waiting for me?”

Straightening up Ianto dropped the toy currently in his hand and placed his hands on his hips, a smirk on his face.

“It was either this or wank off and I thought I'd rather wait for you to do that for me.” He told him.

Jack closed the gap between them with a few long strides and kissed him slowly, his arms encircling his lovers waist.

“One of us is wearing far too many clothes.” Ianto said when the kiss finally broke.

“Yeah, you!” Jack retorted, hooking his thumbs into the elastic top of his lovers briefs and pushing them down to his ankles. “There, much better!”

“I was thinking of you actually.” Ianto told him, reaching from Jack's braces only to get his hands slapped away.

“Oh no you don't.” Jack grinned, pulling Ianto close and rubbing his cloth covered crotch to Ianto, Ianto gasping at the feel of the rough wool against the sensitive skin of his engorged cock.

“I want to feel your skin against mine.” Ianto replied, this time reaching for Jack's belt.

“All in good time.” Jack told him, leading him towards the recliner at the far end of the room beside the single bed that still remained inside.

Fully dressed still Jack settled himself in the chair and leaving it upright pulled Ianto on top of him so he was straddling his thighs, Ianto's knees either side of them.

“This chair was one of our better ideas.” Ianto mused, moving slowly so that his crotch rubbed over Jack's hard cock through the fabric of his trousers and he assumed briefs.

“Yeah, not just useful for nursing the kids.” Jack grinned, wrapping his hand around Ianto's cock and stroking it slowly but firmly.

Resting his hands on the back of the recliner Ianto lent forwards and kissed Jack, placing small butterfly kisses over his lips at first then nipping at his bottom lip before soothing over the swelling skin with his tongue.

Jack opened his mouth to welcome his lovers tongue inside, the kiss becoming more and more heated as their teeth clashing and their tongues tangling until they had to part panting for breath.

“God I love you!” Ianto moaned, his swollen lips moving to Jack's neck, kissing his way down it's length until he reached the juncture where it met his shoulder and then sucked the skin into his mouth.

Groaning in pleasure Jack's free hand found it's way to the back of his husbands head, his fingers tangling in the short strands of his hair, encouraging him, loving the pleasure/pain sensations spiking through his body.

The blossoming bruise when Ianto released the tender skin from his mouth was large, after kissing the love bite Ianto's mouth moved lower, unbuttoning his shirt as he went he kissed down Jack's smooth chest to seek out his nipples.

Jack shuddered under his lovers touch, Ianto's tongue teasing one nipple and then the other to a hard peak, moans escaping his throat when Ianto nipped at them with his teeth before soothing them again with the flat of his tongue.

“You can undo my trousers now.” Jack urged, his head resting against the back of the chair, his hand still wanking his lovers cock.

Shuffling his knees back slightly Ianto unbuckled Jack's belt and unfastened his trouser, a little surprised to find Jack wasn't wearing any underwear when he was sure he'd been wearing them when they had left home earlier, he looked up at him cocking an eyebrow.

“I took them off before I came down here.” Jack admitted. “They're shoved in my desk drawer!”

Shaking his head at his lover Ianto chuckled, pulling Jack's cock out from the confines of his trousers he dipped his head down and licked the leaking pre come from the head.

Jack shoved his hand in his pocket and pulled out the small bottle of lube while Ianto's tongue delved into the slit and lapped up his essence, loving the sensations flooding through his body but needing to be buried inside his lover he reluctantly put his hand under his chin and tilted his head back up.

“Stand up and turn around.” Jack told him, squeezing lube onto his fingers.

“Yes Sir!” Ianto replied with a grin knowing that even after all these years it still turned his husband on.

Ianto slid backwards off the chair onto his feet and moved backwards until the back of his knees hit the chair, then placing his hands on the padded arms he bent his knees and pushed his arse backwards.

Jack's fingers slid between his lovers buttocks, seeking out the hidden hole between and feeling it quiver under his touch Jack circled the tight muscle, feeling it begin to relax he slowly began to insert the tip of his finger.

Ianto groaned out loud as Jack's finger breached him, pushing back on the digit, desperate for more and sighing with pleasure when he felt it deep inside him.

Jack moved his finger, fucking his lover with it for a few minutes before adding a second, the sounds from his lovers mouth beginning to border on the pornographic he added a third and twisted slightly to swipe over his lovers prostate.

“Oh shit!” Ianto exclaimed, his fingers clutching the arms of the recliner even tighter.

“That good eh?” Jack chuckled as Ianto writhed in pleasure on his fingers.

Ianto mumbled something more that a little incoherent.

“I bet you'd rather have my cock?” Jack asked, his fingers teasing that little bundle of nerves again.

“Oh yeah!” Ianto replied, finding his words again.

“Sit on my lap.” Jack replied, sliding his fingers from his lovers arse and pushing his trousers down a little before coating his own cock with lube.

Ianto lifted his feet so they were on the edge of the recliner using his hands to steady him before slowly lowering his arse, letting Jack guide him until he felt the blunt head of his husbands cock at his hole and them pushed down, taking it into his body fully.

Pressing the button on the side the recliner Jack tilted it back as far as it would go so he was almost lying horizontal, his hands on his lovers hips he encouraged his to move.

Using the muscles of his arms and legs Ianto moved, fucking himself on Jack's cock, Jack's hand sliding around his body and wrapping around his cock again to stroke it in time with his movements.

“Oh god, oh god!” Ianto panted, his movements getting faster as faster, his orgasm coiling in his stomach and beginning to spread through the rest of his body in tendrils.

His own release near Jack wrapped his other arm around his husbands chest and pulled him backwards so their bodies were flush together, Ianto's back to his chest.

Ianto dropped his legs down and relaxed his arms a little, pressing himself completely to Jack his movements less pronounced but deeper he couldn't hold back any longer, his orgasm hitting his come coated Jack's hand and his belly in pearly streams.

Jack's hand left Ianto's cock, both his arms now holding his lover tightly around the chest he pumped into his lovers arse, the clenching of the muscles sending his spiralling over the edge he pumped his come deep into Ianto's arse.

Neither of them moved from some while, both of them panting softly while their heart rates returned to normal, Ianto tilting his head so they could kiss tenderly.

“We should clean up, Gwen and Damien could come back anytime.” Ianto mumbled, not wanting to move despite the come on his stomach feeling cold and sticky.

“They haven't been gone that long, I just want to lie like this for a while.” Jack murmured back and Ianto couldn't find any reason to argue with him.

“Bliss.” Ianto said softly. “No kids to ...”

His sentence was cut short by the sound of the proximity alarms sounding and a blinding light filled the room.

TBC


	20. Chapter 20

“Shit!” Ianto exclaimed, raising a hand to cover his eyes from the blinding light. “What the hell?”

“Syrina?” Jack asked, peeking out of one eye as the room began to dim back to normal and the alarms subsiding as Jack pressed a couple of buttons on his wrist strap.

“Syrina?” Ianto shrieked, opening his eyes wide in horror, his hand reaching out to grab the first thing he could and came back with a pillow of the bed beside them to cover his modesty.

“How the hell, why did you transport into here?” Jack asked the alien, who was stood no more that four or five feet away and blatantly ogling their bodies.

“The transporter locks onto the location of life forms, you were here.” She shrugged. “Bad timing I guess.”

“You could say that!” Ianto told her, feeling a blush spreading across his face.

“Yeah, if you'd arrive a few minutes earlier ...” Jack's comment was cut short by Ianto slapping him hard on the thigh.

“We should dress.” Ianto said, pressing the button on the side of the chair to make it move back up into an upright position again.

“It might be less distracting.” Syrina replied, making to effort to move from her optimum spot.

“I think Ianto, that is we would rather you left the room if you wouldn't mind?” Jack asked her.

Flicking her purple hair over her shoulder Syrina gave them one last lingering look before turning on her heel and moving towards the doorway.

“And close the door.” Ianto called out, not moving until it was firmly closed.

“She was totally ogling us.” Ianto said, getting off Jack's lap and reaching for his briefs.

“Who could blame her?” Jack chuckled, pulling out a baby wipe from the packet on the baby changing table and cleaning himself up before fastening his trousers.

“It's alright for you, the only naked body parts of yours were hidden by my body and one of them was still up my arse.” Ianto grumbled, pulling his t shirt on over his head.

“We had no idea she was going to show up here and then.” Jack retorted, grabbing Ianto's arms he pulled him close and kissed him softly. “Never be ashamed of your naked body, I can assure you it's gorgeous to look at and you should be over the moon that she was so entranced by it.”

“It wasn't just my nakedness.” Ianto replied, pulling out of Jack's arms and grabbing his jeans. “It was the fact that it was blindingly obvious that we'd just had sex.”

“I really don't think she cared, she was more interested in ogling your nakedness.” Jack chuckled, handing him his jumper. “Something I like to do often.”

“I may have noticed that over the years.” Ianto laughed, finally beginning to see the funny side of what had happened. “Now, lets go and see what she's decided.”

“You take her up to the conference room, I want to check in with Gwen and Damien before we talk to her, see if they've got anywhere with the farmers over donating their sheep.” Jack told him, reaching for his discarded comm in his pocket and placing it in his ear. “We need to have it covered just in case.”

“I'll make us some coffee on the way.” Ianto replied. “She seems to love it.”

“Good idea.” Jack agreed, stroking a hand over Ianto's buttock and kissing him gently.

Once Syrina and Ianto had gone Jack contacted Gwen and Damien via the comms.

“Any luck with the farmers?” He asked.

“We have five sheep, two male and three female if needed.” Gwen replied. “We're just on our way to the final farmer now.”

“Syrina's just reappeared, we are about to go into a meeting with her but we have no idea how this is going to go.” Jack replied. “I need Damien back here to block that signal, Gwen are you okay if he drops you off and comes back for you in a while?”

“That's fine.” Gwen replied.

“Also, you have the contact numbers for the sheep owners on your mobile?” Jack asked and Gwen confirmed that she did.

“Call the all and tell them they can collect their sheep from the locations they were drawn to in about thirty minutes.” Jack instructed. “Once they're safe it won't matter what Syrina tells us.”

“I'll get onto it straight away.” Gwen replied, “We're just pulling up at the final farm now, I'll call them before I see this farmer.”

“Thanks, Damien I'll see you soon.” Jack told them, cutting the comm and leaving the playroom to find Ianto and Syrina.

Approaching the conference room Jack could see Ianto and Syrina talking, both of them stood at the far end of the table. Neither of them had spotted him, standing quietly by the doorway he listened to the conversation.

“So, does everyone sleep with the boss are are you just privileged?” Syrina asked Ianto with a smirk.

“He's not just my boss, I don't even see him as that anymore, we are married and have children.” Ianto told her, picking up his coffee mug and taking a sip.

“But we was your boss, when you started fucking?” Syrina pushed.

“This really is none of your business.” Ianto told her sharply.

“I can see why you'd want to sleep with him, he's gorgeous.” Syrina continued. “You on the other hand, you're beautiful.”

“Only Jack get to call me that.” Ianto told her bluntly, making to move away from the alien.

“But you are.” She said, grasping his arm and pushing against the wall, pressing her body to his she tried to kiss him.

“Get the fuck off me!” Ianto told her angrily, shoving her away.

“Oh come one, everyone's heard of Captain Jack Harkness, he's a legend.” Syrina smirked. “He'll shag anyone, surely you can't be in a monogamous relationship?”

At that remark Jack stormed into the room, marched straight up to her and grasped Ianto's hand as he spoke.

“I haven't been that man for a very long time.” Jack told her, almost growling the words out. “I would never cheat on Ianto or he on me and I would appreciate you not questioning our sex life, which is just fantastic by the way and get back to the matter in hand?”

“Boring, but fine.” Syrina told him. “I have a proposition for you.”

TBC


	21. Chapter 21

“Go on.” Jack urged, his anger with the alien still clearly etched on his face.

Syrina broke into a wide smile.

“We've scanned your base and you don't have any weapons capable of destroying us.” She told him smugly. “I propose we just take the sheep, all the sheep we came for.”

“No!” Jack told her firmly, moving so close to her that their noses were practically touching, then continuing. “There is no way you're just taking them from this planet, even if I have to keep you here as a prisoner.”

“Is that it? Is that all you can come up with?” She asked him smiling sweetly and making him even more agitated.

“Look, we've gone to a lot of trouble to get the farmers to agree to give you six sheep, you can breed from them and reintroduce the species.” Jack told her. “I know it will take time but it's the best we can offer, without the need to offer them anything on your part.”

“Interesting idea.” Syrina replied. “But you see, we do have a weapon on our ship that could wipe out half of Wales if you don't let us take what we want.”

Hearing the cog door open Jack and Ianto knew that Damien had returned and it would take him barely minutes to block the signal that enticed the sheep away from their fields, all he had to do was stall her for a little longer.

“You'd have the Shadow Proclamation on you before you could blink.” Jack told her. “The sheep still wouldn't make it back to the future.”

“You really think so?” Syrina asked smugly.

“I know so.” Jack growled. “Destroying Wales would change history and it's one that's a fixed point, not in flux, they'll be down on you like a ton of bricks.”

“Well, it was worth a try.” Syrina replied, her smile fading knowing she was beaten.

“Jack, the signals blocked.” Damien's voice said into his ear.

“Great, go and find Gwen and arrange a place for the donated sheep to be collected from.” Jack told him and then turned his attention back to Syrina. “Your signal has been blocked, despite your behaviour I'm still willing to give you the six sheep.”

“I should get back to my ship and inform the others.” Syrina replied, reaching for her teleport device.

“Oh no you don't!” Jack retorted, grabbing her and taking it. “You're not leaving until this is all finalized.”

“But they'll be expecting me back.” Syrina tried to argue.

“Then they'll just have to wait a little longer won't they.” Jack told her. “Now, are you going to behave or do we have to lock you in a cell?”

“I'll behave.” Syrina replied, not expecting Ianto to grab her, shove her into a chair and then handcuff one wrist to it. “Hey!”

“You really think we'd trust you that easily?” Ianto asked her with a grin.

“Bastards!” Syrina snarled.

“I see your comprehension of the English language surpasses the basics.” Jack chuckled. “Ianto, I'm sure our guest here would love a cup of your coffee, I know I would.”

“I'll be right back.” Ianto told him, leaving the room with a smirk on his face.

*~*~*

“Right, we have six sheep secured.” Gwen told Damien when he arrived back to the farm. “None of them would give up their sheep for free, which I can understand so I've promised them the offered money once all the arrangements have been made.”

“Syrina's at the hub, she's agreed to the sheep but from Jack's tone I'd say it wasn't her first choice.” Damien told her. “We have the job of arranging for the six sheep to be taken to one spot for collection.”

“More phone calls.” Gwen sighed. “Your turn, I'm sure the farmers are sick of me now.”

“If I know Jack I'd say he want this over as soon as possible.” Damien replied, pulling his mobile from his pocket. “And I think it should be under the cover of darkness, do you agree?”

“If all the farmers can manage it this evening, then yes.” Gwen told him, giving him the first number to ring.

*~*~*

“Jack, it's Gwen.” She said, contacting him over the comms. “The farmers have agreed to deliver the required sheep to a place of our choosing by ten this evening.”

“Great, the sooner we get rid of out guest and this whole thing over the better.” Jack replied, ignoring the look Syrina gave him. “Have you chosen a spot?”

“Yep, just outside the city limits in a field that belongs to one of the farmers.” Damien replied. “It's surrounded by trees and pretty secluded according to him so it should be perfect, we're just off to check the location out and we'll get back to you with the exact coordinates.”

“So ... that gives us approximately an hour and a half.” Jack replied after a quick glance at the clock on the wall. “We'll meet you there?”

“Yeah, we can contact the farmers again and tell them it's on.” Gwen told him. “We're going to have to retcon them aren't we?”

“We might as well try and retcon the country.” Jack sighed. “But I guess we should give them a small dose, so that they forget what they see in the field and plant the suggestion into their minds that they sheep were collected by lorry and driven off.”

“Is it worth it, I mean it's not like the residents of Cardiff are blind to the goings on around here these days?” Damien asked. “It's not like Torchwood is much of a secret now, is it and almost every other person tells tales of seeing an alien?”

“Okay, we'll play it by ear, depending on what they actually see and how they react.” Jack told him. “Let me know when you have the exact coordinates and we'll bring Syrina with us.”

“Bye Jack.” Gwen and Damien replied, cutting the comms.

“You made out what was happening?” Jack asked Syrina.

“The sheep are being taken to a location for our collection in an hour and a half.” Syrina.

“I need you to contact your ship once we have the location, if you transport out of here the deal is off.” Jack told her firmly.

Syrina nodded in agreement. “I know you don't trust me but I'll do what you tell me.”

“You better.” Jack told her, leaving her in the conference room still handcuffed to the chair he went to find Ianto to fill him in on the latest information before phoning Claire to tell her they would be late home again and to check that the children were all okay.

TBC


	22. Chapter 22

Waiting until Jack was out of the room and out of sight Syrina reached down to the cuff that restrained her wrist to the chair with her free hand and let them hover an inch or so above.

A pale pink light illuminated the area for a few moments, Syrina's eyes closed in concentration until the cuffs clicked open.

Smiling to herself Syrina pulled them off her wrist and stroked her fingers over the slightly marked skin as she wandered to the door of the conference room and looked down into the hub.

Slowly she walked down the steps into the main hub, almost stumbling down them when a loud shriek came from above, looking up she frowned and then smiled at the prehistoric creature that circled high above her.

She wandered about the hub listening out for any sounds that would indicate that the two men were heading back, taking her time to peer into the medical bay, Jack's office and even the kitchenette before heading further into the base.

The thought that she might catch them in the same state as she had earlier spurred her on, her hair seemed to deepen in colour as she lowered the zip on the front of her close fitting black outfit until it exposed her flesh to below her waist and made it obvious she wasn't wearing anything beneath.

Hearing voices she crept towards the room the voices were emitting from, walking on her toes so her heels wouldn't click on the hard concrete floor and then peered into the room carefully.

Jack was standing with his back to the wall watching Ianto while talking on the phone, she had no idea who the people were that he was asking about and when he cut the call it became a lot clearer.

Slipping the phone into his pocket he moved towards Ianto and took the files he had in his hands from him, placed them on top of one of the filing cabinets and kissed him softly as he wrapped his hands loosely around the other man's waist.

“The kids are all fine.” Jack told Ianto when the kiss broke. “Claire said they were all in bed, that Eloise and Caden were reading quietly to themselves and that Dylan was fast asleep.”

“I hate not being there to put them to bed.” Ianto replied with a soft sigh. “I know they love Claire but although they never complain they must miss us when we're busy and can't get home even for dinner.”

“They understand.” Jack replied. “I know it's no consolation but it's better than them playing up for Claire, rift permitting we'll get home once Syrina is gone and we'll have breakfast with them in the morning.”

“And take them to school, they love going in the SUV.” Ianto smiled.

“They just love showing off.” Jack chuckled. “Torchwood might not be such a secret any more but ... I wish we could tell the truth about their parentage.”

“I don't think the Cardiff is ready quite yet for men that can get pregnant and carry babies.” Ianto laughed. “Maybe one day.”

“I'm looking forward to a good nights sleep.” Jack replied with a small yawn.

Ianto looked at him with a small frown. “Is there something you're trying to tell me?”

“No, why?” Jack asked, a little confused.

“You yawned and said you needed sleep, you're not ...” Ianto trailed off.

“Pregnant?” Jack finished his sentence for him with a laugh. “No, that implant is well and truly working and in place believe me, I get Chloe to test me every month, you know that?”

“Oh thank god!” Ianto exclaimed.

“You don't want more kids?” Jack asked, feeling a little hurt as they had decided that they would have another baby at some point in the future.

“Oh no, that's not what I meant.” Ianto told him. “It's just that Dylan is still just a baby and ...”

Jack silenced him with a tender kiss. “It's okay, I don't want another baby just yet either.”

“I ... did you hear that?” Ianto asked quietly, pulling out of Jack's embrace and drawing his gun.

“It came from outside the door.” Jack whispered back, drawing his own weapon.

“It's only me.” Syrina said, stepping into view and pulling up the zip on the front of her outfit as she did so.

“How the hell ...” Jack began only to be cut off by the alien.

“You didn't honestly expect those outdated cuffs to be able to keep me restrained did you?” Syrina smiled. “I was feeling lonely, so I came looking for you, shame you're both dressed this time.”

“If you've touched anything?” Ianto threatened.

“Nothing, don't worry, all I want to do now is get home.” Syrina told him, playing with the zip on the front of her suit. “Unless you fancy wasting some time?”

“No!” Jack told her firmly, holstering his gun.

“Shame.” Syrina shrugged. “I guess you have Claire for that?”

“Claire is our children's nanny, how long were you out there?” Ianto demanded.

“Not long.” Syrina admitted. “Just long enough to find out that you have three kids and a ... nanny.”

“Come on, lets head back up to the main hub, Gwen and Damien should be contacting us soon with the exact location.” Jack told her as Ianto reluctantly holstered his own weapon.

“Try anything and I won't hesitate to shoot.” Ianto warned her.

“I won't, I promise.” Syrina replied, leading the way and neither man missed the way she was wiggling her hips for what they assumed was their benefit.

Halfway out the archives Gwen's voice came in their ears giving them the exact location for the sheep to be taken and telling them to meet them there.

TBC


	23. Chapter 23

“I don't trust her.” Ianto hissed quietly at Jack, watching the woman's swaying hips but feeling nothing for the alien.

“We still have her transporter and communicator, there's nothing she can do until we give them back to her.” Jack replied.

“She knows we have children, she could put them in danger somehow.” Ianto replied worriedly.

“She has no idea where we live even if she could arrange something is such a short time.” Jack replied, hopefully reassuringly.

“Who knows just what she capable of.” Ianto retorted. “Stay with her, give me a few minutes and then bring her out to my car.”

“Okay.” Jack agreed, knowing Ianto only had their families safety at heart and was planning something.

Separating in the main hub Jack took Syrina up to his office while Ianto grabbed his coat and head out through the cog door, pulling his mobile from his pocket the instant he stepped into the Tourist Office and called Claire.

“Ianto? Something wrong?” Claire asked, knowing all about the negotiations going on from Jack's earlier call.

“Maybe, I'm not sure.” Ianto told her. “I know it's late but I need you to get the kids out of the house.”

“Of course, can you tell me why?” Claire asked, already getting up from the sofa and turning off the TV.

“This alien, the one who's after the sheep.” Ianto explained. “There's just something I don't trust about her, she's agreed to our terms rather easily and she overheard the earlier phone call, we're worried she might try and use the children as a bargaining chip.”

“But she doesn't know where you live?” Claire reasoned.

“She managed to escape the restraints when we left her in the conference room, we have no idea how long she was wandering around the hub before she found us in the archives.” Ianto replied. “I'm not taking any chances.”

“Understood.” Claire replied. “I'll call James and let him know we're on the way to his flat.”

“We owe him so many favours.” Ianto sighed. “Tell him thank you.”

“I will.” Claire replied. “Don't worry, I'll protect the kids with my life.”

“I know, but I really don't want it to come to that.” Ianto replied. “See you later.”

“Bye.” Claire replied before dialling her boyfriends number.

After a quick call explaining the basics to him Claire replaced the handset on it's base and headed up to the kids, first going into Caden and then Eloise and waking the sleeping children, telling them simply that they were going to stay with James for the night.

Leaving the excited children to dress she moved to the nursery and scooped Dylan out of his cot, not needing to wake the sleeping baby she wrapped him in an extra blanket and the carefully pulled a woolly hat onto his head before carrying him from the room.

The twins were waiting for her on the landing and led the way down the stairs where they pulled on their coats and slipped on their shoes without question as if it was a normal every day occurrence.

Grabbing her car keys Claire took them out the house and to her car, strapping baby Dylan into his car seat while the kids put put on their seatbelts and then got in herself and headed for her boyfriends flat.

*~*~*

When Jack reached Ianto's car with Syrina he found him leaning against it waiting for them, Ianto gave him a nod and unlocked the vehicle, once Syrina was in the back he and Jack climbed in and Ianto activated the child locks, not trusting her an inch.

An unusual, uncomfortable silence filled the car and Ianto turned the radio on for some noise, glancing in the rear view mirror he could see Syrina looking out the side window into the darkness.

“Not far now.” Jack said, breaking the silence.

“I just want to get this over with, once and for all.” Ianto replied, turning down the volume of the radio a little.

“Within the next half an hour.” Jack assured his husband, glancing over his shoulder at the still silent Syrina.

“Maybe we can take the morning off tomorrow, if the rift is quiet, get a bit of a lie in.” Ianto suggested.

“Jack?” Ianto asked, when he didn't get a response, looking sidewards at him when Jack still didn't reply. “Jack?”

Jack appeared to be in some kind of trace, his eyes wide open and staring straight ahead, his body ridged in his seat and his hands clutching the edges of it tightly.

“Jack talk to me, you're scaring me.” Ianto said, his pitch rising in panic.

“What's wrong?” Syrina asked from the back. “Is he sick?”

“I don't know.” Ianto told her bluntly, pulling the car over to the side of the road and stopping.

“Jack, come on, speak to me.” Ianto urged, shaking Jack's arm.

Ianto could see a tear rolling down Jack's face, the only sign that he was actually alive.

“Heart attack? You still have them in this time don't you?” Syrina suggested, trying to he helpful.

“If this is something to do with you?” Ianto growled at her.

“Nothing I promise!” Syrina assured him, holding her her hands.

At that point Jack slumped in his seat and burst into tears, Ianto clipped his and Jack's seatbelts undone and pulled his lover into his arms as best he could, stroking his hands through his hair in an attempt to comfort him.

“Shhh, tell me what happened.” Ianto said soothingly.

“The baby, I saw the dead baby again.” Jack whispered. “Lying in the pool of blood, oh god it was awful.”

“I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.” Ianto murmured into his husbands hair.

“I thought it might have been over, that these memories, if that's what they are were gone.” Jack replied, hiccuping softly as the sobs subsided.

“Whatever it is, we will get through it.” Ianto told him, kissing the top of his head.

Pulling himself from Ianto's arms Jack wiped the tears from his face with the sleeve of his coat.

“I know, we'll deal with this later.” Jack replied, regaining his composure, only his tone of voice showing how much it episode had shaken him. “Lets get Syrina and the sheep to her ship.”

Starting the car again Ianto pulled away from the side of the road and headed once again for their destination.

“What was all that about? Did I hear you say you thought you were getting some lost memories back?” Syrina asked.

“We don't know for sure.” Ianto replied. “Just leave it, please?”

“But ...” Syrina began only to be cut off by Ianto.

“I mean it, shut up.”

Sinking back into her seat Syrina watched the two men, Ianto's hand resting on Jack's thigh, she knew whatever it was that made Jack space out was a lot more stressful for them than the matter in hand.

TBC


	24. Chapter 24

Pulling up at the location indicated by the satnav they drove slowly through the gate that led into the enclosed field, seeing the lights of the SUV in the distance they drove over the bumpy ground and came to a halt beside it.

The sheep that were being donated by the farmers were being held in a pen in the middle of the field, the farmers standing in a small group beside it and talking quietly, distracted by their arrival for a moment and a dog barking they glanced in their direction before going back to their conversation.

“The sheep are all ready,” Gwen told Jack when he climbed out the car. “all we need now is Syrina to contact her ship and arrange for them to be transported along with herself.”

“Which she can do in a moment,” Jack replied, opening the door and holding it open for the alien to climb out from the back seat.

“Should we get the farmers to leave?” Damien asked, watching them a little nervously and wondering how they would react when their sheep vanished into thin air.

“Nope, we have a choice of tea or coffee for them once this is over, they won't remember a thing,” Ianto grinned, thinking of the two flasks in the boot of the car.

“Do I get my transmitter back now?” Syrina asked a little impatiently.

“I guess so,” Jack replied, slipping his hand in his pocket and pulling the device out and warned. “no tricks.”

“Believe me, I just want to get off this planet as much as you want me to go,” Syrina snarked at him, taking the offered device and activating it.

They listened while she gave the person she was talking to some simple commands and then turned her attention back to the others.

“It's going to take them a couple of minutes to get the sheep ready for transport, I hope those farmers aren't easily spooked?” She asked.

“Why?” Ianto asked just as a beam of bright yellow light fell from the sky and onto the pen surrounding all the sheep within.

They all stood and watch as the sheep became completely still and silent, their heads tilting up to look up into the light and their fleeces seeming to take on a strange shimmering effect.

“Bloody 'ell, what on earth?” One farmer blustered, backing away from the pen with the others.

“Well I never ...” another stuttered.

“They better not be 'urting them,” another called out.

“They're perfectly fine, I can assure you,” Syrina called back.

“Well, you would say that, wouldn't you?” The first farmer retorted.

“I promise you,” Syrina replied, unable to stop the small smile on her face when the sheep took on an even deeper hue of yellow before vanishing before their eyes.

“Holy shit!” One farmer spluttered.

“It's true, it's all bloody true,” another muttered. “bloody aliens!”

“Bloody Torchwood,” another grumbled, even across the field in the darn they could sense his scowl.

“Time for you to go then Syrina,” Jack said to the alien.

“I won't say it's been good,” Syrina laughed. “although catching you two naked ...”

“Bloody hell, isn't there anyone that hasn't seen you two shagging?” Gwen interrupted.

“I doubt it!” Damien exclaimed.

“Well, technically we weren't actually shagging,” Ianto mumbled.

“True, shame,” Syrina smiled. “I should go so you can see to those poor farmers.”

“If you ever come back,” Jack warned her.

“Oh don't worry, I have no intention of ever coming back into the past,” Syrina told him. “way to primitive, even if you do have sheep.”

“So, this is goodbye then,” Jack replied, holding out his hand to shake hers.

Syrina grabbed his hand and lunged forwards, kissing him softly on the lips before Jack could stop her.

“Hey, that's my husband!” Ianto burst out, only for Syrina to plant a kiss on his lips too.

“That tingles!” Ianto said in surprise.

“Exactly, primitive,” Syrina giggled and proceeded to kiss both Damien and Gwen to their shock.

“Blimey!” Damien exclaimed, pressing his fingers to his tingling lips.

“Oh my,” Gwen muttered, thinking to herself how that would feel elsewhere on her body and then forcing the thought out of her head again.

“A taste of things to come,” Jack grinned. “goodbye Syrina, have a safe trip home and treat those sheep well.”

“We will,” Syrina replied and then vanished in a flash of bright light.

“You knew, about the tingling tip thing?” Ianto asked Jack, moving to the boot of the car for the flasks and the plastic cups.

“A perk of the future, a little injection in the lips that last for a few months and fun is had by all,” Jack told him. “shame it won't be invented for a good few years.”

“I can just imagine,” Gwen sighed making them all laugh.

“Lets get these farmers retconned and then we can head home,” Ianto said, handing one of the flasks to Jack and heading across the field with him towards the rather stunned farmers.

After handing out the required beverages Jack told the farmers they should head home and get to bed, that the bright light they had witnessed would have a strange but harmless effect on their brains and that they would need to sleep very soon.

Once they were all gone the four Torchwood members climbed back into their cars and headed out the field, Gwen and Damien stopping to close the gate behind them and then they all made their way back to Cardiff.

“So, we didn't need Claire to take the kids away from the house after all,” Ianto sighed as they pulled into their driveway.

“Better to be safe than sorry, we had no idea is she was up to something,” Jack replied, following Ianto into the dark house and flicking the lights on. “on the plus side though we do get a night of undisturbed sleep without having a baby in the house.”

“Sleep? Just sleep?” Ianto asked, slipping his arms around his husbands waist. “I can think of other things we could do while alone in our house.”

“I like the way you think Mr Harkness-Jones,” Jack grinned.

“I think you'll like exactly what I have in mind too Captain Harkness Jones,” Ianto grinned, pulling Jack up the stairs towards their room.

TBC


	25. Chapter 25

“Just what are you thinking?” Jack asked, letting Ianto slide his coat from his shoulders and lay it carefully on the bottom of their bed before discarding his own and hanging it on the back of the chair in the corner of the room.

“It's been a long time since we had the house to ourselves and I think we should make the most of it,” Ianto replied with a small smile, twisting his hands in Jack's bright red braces and tugging him close. “I can think of a better use for these for a start.”

“I'd be right in thinking that you're planning to have your wicked way with me then?” Jack grinned.

“Oh yeah,” Ianto smirked, pressing his lips to his husbands and kissing him hard for a moment or two before pulling back to nip his bottom lip causing Jack to gasp. “but first we need to do something about these clothes, you're wearing far too many!”

“Would me being naked be preferred?” Jack asked as Ianto untwisted his hands from the braces and slid them off his arms and down his shoulders.

“It's a requirement,” Ianto replied, tugging Jack's shirt and under shirt out from the waistband of his trousers and then over his head, dropping them onto the floor.

“I was hoping you'd say that,” Jack grinned, watching Ianto's hands working to unbuckle his belt and then unfasten his trousers before sliding them down his legs, letting them drop to his ankles.

Dropping down onto one knee Ianto unlaced Jack's boots and pulled them off, followed by the trousers and socks until Jack stood before him wearing only his briefs.

Sliding his hands up the back of the Captains thighs he didn't stop until he was cupping his husbands buttocks, clasping them tightly he pressed a kiss over the thin layer of cotton that covered the erect cock before him and then straightened up again.

“On the bed,” Ianto told Jack, unclipping the braces from Jack's trousers while watching Jack move to lie in the middle of the bed. “arms behind your head.”

Jack raised his arms behind him and grasped the metal struts of the headboard, his eyes fixed firmly on his lover as he stretched the elastic of the braces as he moved towards him.

“Good boy,” Ianto smirked, twisting the braces around the headboard and then Jack's wrists before tying them in a knot.

“Boy?” Jack scoffed. “it's a very long time since I was a boy.”

“Just a turn of phrase,” Ianto chuckled, climbing on the bed still fully dressed and straddling the Captains hips. “now, what shall I do with you?”

“Anything you want,” Jack told him, canting his hips upwards to press against his husbands body.

Ianto pressed his hand to Jack's cock, stroking it slowly through the fabric of his briefs and then lent down to kiss him softly, his tongue sliding over both lips before delving into his mouth to taste him.

Jack's hands pulled at the restraints, wanting to grasp his lovers head and sink his fingers into his hair, with his hips moving in time with Ianto's hand on his cock they kissed languorously until they had to part for air panting.

Ianto knelt back on his heels and grasped the sides of Jack's briefs, tugging them down over his hips and freeing his erection, drinking in the sight of his husbands body he moved to one side so he could remove them completely and tossed them onto the floor.

“Gorgeous,” Ianto grinned, resuming his position of straddling his lovers body and stroking his hands lightly down Jack's smooth chest, then upwards again and pausing to tweak his nipples gently causing Jack to emit a small moan. “feels good?”

“Yeah,” the word came from Jack's lips as a sigh, his eyes closed me added another moan when Ianto dipped his head down and covered one nipple with his lips, teasing it with his tongue and then nipping on it with his teeth causing Jack's back to arch off the bed and groan loudly.

Soft moans and whimpers escaped Jack's mouth as Ianto continued his assault on his nipple, moving back and forth between them, sicking, nipping and soothing with his tongue knowing he was driving his lover further and further towards the edge without going anywhere near his cock.

“Please ...” Jack mumbled, writhing on the bed, wanting to feel his lovers body against his.

“Please what?” Ianto asked with a smirk, abandoning the wet, sensitised nipples.

“Touch me, fuck me, make me come!” Jack exclaimed a little breathlessly. “Let me see and feel your beautiful body!”

“Okay,” Ianto grinned, leaning forwards to snatch a quick kiss before moving off the bed and stripping off his clothes quickly, leaving them where they fell and then clambering back on to straddle his lovers body once more. “better?”

“Always,” Jack grinned.

“How about if I do this?” Ianto asked, his fingers stroking small circles over the Captains hips, moving slowly towards his crotch and then trailing one finger up it's hard length to tease the head, swirling it through the leaking pre-come.

“Good, so good,” Jack mumbled.

“And this?” Ianto said, wrapping his hand around his lovers cock and holding it firmly he dipped his head and delved his tongue into the slit causing Jack to mumble something incoherent.

“That good eh? Then you'll love this,” Ianto continued, this time sucking the head into his mouth and sucking gently while he tongue laved over every inch.

Damn ...” Jack murmured. “oh yeah ... please ...”

Reaching out blindly with his free hand Ianto fumbled for the lube he knew would be on top of the bedside table, locating it he grasped it in his hand and flipped the lid open.

Sucking Jack's cock deeper into his mouth he released his other and and coated his fingers with lube, dropping the tube on the bed beside them he let his lovers cock slip from his mouth with a small pop and nudged Jack's legs apart with his knees so he could move between them.

“Don't stop,” Jack grumbled, the cool air pricking at the wet skin of his cock.

“It's gets better, I promise,” Ianto told him, slipping his slick fingers between Jack's buttocks and finding the small, hidden hole within, teasing it slowly and feeling the tight muscle begin to relax beneath his touch he carefully pushed a finger inside.

“Mmmm,” Jack murmured, hips moving back and forth in time with Ianto's finger as it fucked his slowly, moaning softly in pleasure when his husband added a second, yelping in pleasure when the digits swept over his prostate.

“Told you,” Ianto grinned, watching the look of pure pleasure on Jack's face.

“Fuck me,” Jack mumbled, hands tugging at the restraints again, desperate for friction on his cock again, needing to come.

“Are you sure?” Ianto smirked, picking up the lube again.

“Fucking positive!” Jack retorted.

With a chuckle Ianto slowly slid his fingers from his husbands hole and then coated his own cock with lube, stroking his hand up it's full length a few times while Jack watched him through his eyelashes knowing that his husband love to see him touching himself.

“Ready?” Ianto asked, lifting Jack's legs and moving closer to his husbands hips rested on his thighs.

“Ianto!” Jack growled, both loving and hating the fact his lover was teasing him.

Ianto pressed the head of his cock to his lovers hole and then very slowly slid inside him, his own moans filling the air as the sensations of Jack's tight, hot channel surrounding his cock flowed through him and not stopping until he was buried ball deep inside him.

Jack wrapped his legs tightly around his husbands waist, pulling him down so their bodies were flush together and grinding his hips upwards.

“Please Ianto,” Jack pleaded. “move!”

Ianto slid his hands under Jack's shoulders, his hands curling up to clasp them he began to move, thrusting into his lovers willing body slowly but deeply.

“Faster,” Jack urged.

Ianto upped his pace, thrusting faster and faster until he was pounding hard into him. Feeling his own orgasm building somewhere in his lower belly Ianto tilted his body slightly to rest on one elbow and moved his other hand between their bodies to grasp his lovers cock.

“Yes, oh god yes!” Jack cried, thrusting into Ianto's fist with every move of his hips. “Gonna come, need to come!”

“Do it, come for me,” Ianto told him, thrusting even deeper and harder into his husband, Jack yelling his name as his come spurted between their bodies, his arse contracting around his lovers cock sending Ianto spiralling towards his own orgasm and shouting in ecstasy when he tumbled over the edge and flooded his husbands body with his essence.

Ianto collapsed onto Jack's body, his head resting on Jack's heaving chest while they both tried to catch their breath, their hearts racing.

“Ianto,” Jack said softly.

“Mmmm,” Ianto mumbled in reply against Jack's chest.

“Release my hands, I want to hold you,” Jack asked.

Lifting his head Ianto stretched his arm upwards and tugged at the braces, loosening them seemingly instantly in a way Jack could never work out and was rewarded with Jack's arms wrapping tightly around him and his lips on his kissing him softly.

“Love you beautiful,” Jack murmured softly.

“Love you too gorgeous,” Ianto replied leaving them both grinning stupidly at each other.

“Shower or sleep?” Jack asked, not wanting to move.

“Sleep, the shower can wait until the morning,” Ianto replied, resting his head on his husbands chest again.

“My thought exactly,” Jack agreed, dragging the duvet off the floor where it had landed beside the bed with one and and pulling it over their bodies knowing Ianto was already falling into a sated sleep.

“Night beautiful,” Jack said softly, kissing the top of his lovers head then reaching out to turn the lamp off beside the bed and closing his eyes.

TBC


	26. Chapter 26

Hitting the alarm clock to stop it's insentient ringing with his eyes still closed against the morning Ianto stretched out, reaching over to find his husband and sighed with disappointment when his hand found nothing but a cold sheet.

 

Ianto wasn't surprised to find himself alone, after all the years they had shared a bed he knew that the only time Jack ever slept for what most people would consider a normal amount of time was when he was pregnant.

Ianto stretched again and opened his eyes to finally confront the day, staring out the window at the heavy rain clouds he knew were just waiting for them to leave the house to burst and finally climbed out of bed.

Reaching for his dressing gown he wondered why the house seemed so quiet and then remembered that the kids weren't home, feeling a little sad that they weren't there when they rarely saw them in the mornings, let alone late at night Ianto made his way downstairs knowing he'd probably find Jack in the kitchen nursing a mug of coffee.

Finding a pot of coffee in the kitchen but no Jack Ianto poured himself a mug and headed for the living room, not expecting to see Jack still in his dressing gown sat on the sofa with his feet up looking like he was somewhere else entirely.

“What's wrong?” Ianto asked, lifting Jack's feet and sitting down, placing them over his legs. “Nightmare?”

“Sorry?” Jack asked as if he was only just aware that of his husbands presence.

“Where are you?” Ianto asked gently, rubbing Jack's leg comfortingly.

“Nowhere ... I was ... I had a dream last night, I think it was a memory,” Jack finally told him.

“A dream, not a nightmare?” Ianto asked, just to clarify.

“A dream,” Jack nodded and replied sadly. “I think I dreamed about Teyla's mum.”

“The same woman you saw murdered, with the baby?” Ianto asked and seeing the pain in Jack's eyes wished he hadn't.

“No, Teyla's mum was a blonde like my ... my daughter,” Jack replied. “Teyla was so like her mum, petite as well ... but she had sparkling green eyes.”

“Do you think this was before or after ... the events of your nightmare?” Ianto asked him, reaching up and grasping Jack's hand.

“I have no idea,” Jack shrugged. “no clues as to the time frame with either the dreams or nightmares.”

“So tell me, what did you dream?” Ianto asked, wanting to know the details.

“I'm not sure you'll want to know,” Jack replied, casting his eyes downwards so as to not look at his lover.

“Whatever it was, it happened a long time ago Jack, please tell me,” Ianto urged.

“We must have been on a different planet to the one in the dreams with the brunette and the baby,” Jack replied. “there was only one sun in the sky and a lot of sand, but it wasn't my home, Boshane.”

“No idea where though?” Ianto asked.

Jack shook his head. “I've been to a lot of planets but I don't remember this one, the sand was golden like here but the sea was a deep red colour.”

“I'd love to see that!” Ianto retorted softly and waited for Jack to continue.

“We were walking along the beach, it was hot and sunny and it was like I could actually feel the heat on my skin ... her hair was so long, almost down to her waist even though she had it up in a ponytail and she was wearing a swimsuit with a piece of fabric tied around her hips, like a makeshift skirt.”

“A sarong?” Ianto offered.

“Yeah ... we were talking about going for a swim in the sea but there were signs telling us it was dangerous so we decided to go back to her place instead,” Jack continued. “the next second we were in this room, I have no idea if it was a house, a flat or even a hotel and drinking cocktails.”

“And then?” Ianto pushed when Jack hesitated.

“You really don't want to know,” Jack told him, not looking him in the eye again.

“You had sex with her?” Ianto asked him straight out.

“Yeah,” Jack admitted.

“I don't want the details of the act Jack, just to know what happened in the dream,” Ianto told him. “it was all a long time ago.”

“ I know, it's just ... I woke up while we were still ... shagging and I had ... I was ...” Jack stuttered, trailing off.

“You got turned on by the dream?” Ianto asked, a small smile playing on his lips.

“I felt so guilty Ianto, like I was cheating on you in my sleep,” Jack replied. “I got up and had a cold shower!”

“You should have just woken me up,” Ianto replied, his smile widening.

“That would have been even worse, turned on my some woman who's name I don't even remember and using you to satisfy myself!” Jack retorted.

“Jack it was just a dream, a memory of the past and I promise you I'm not jealous,” Ianto reassured him. “even if it wasn't a forgotten memory I'd expect you to dream of past lovers now and then.”

“What the hell did I do to deserve you?” Jack asked.

“Will you ever stop asking that question?” Ianto chuckled.

“When you give me a proper answer,” Jack replied, smiling for the first time that morning.

“I don't have one,” Ianto told him. “I'm just glad it wasn't a nightmare.”

“Me too,” Jack sighed, trying not to think about the brunette and the baby and their seemingly brutal deaths.

“Well, I suggest you go and have a hot shower and get dressed while I make breakfast,” Ianto told him, watching Jack's eyes light up when he added. “I think we have bacon.”

“And eggs?” Jack asked.

“Of course,” Ianto grinned. “we can eat together and then I'll have a quick shower before we head off to the hub.”

“I miss seeing the kids,” Jack said, lifting his legs of Ianto's and standing.

“Yep, me too,” Ianto agreed. “if the rift behaves today perhaps we will get to spend some time with them this evening and the puppies for that matter.”

“Claire must have taken them with her and the kids,” Jack replied. “we need a family day sometime soon.”

“Agreed,” Ianto replied. “now go and shower!”

“Yes Sir!” Jack grinned before bounding out the room and upstairs leaving Ianto to carry their empty coffee mugs back to the kitchen.

TBC


	27. Chapter 27

“Jack, you there?” Gwen's voice asked over the comms as they drove towards the hub.

“Morning, what's up?” Jack asked in reply.

“Are you on your way in, there's something here you should see,” Gwen replied a little cryptically.

“What kind of something?” Ianto asked, having heard their exchanges.

“Small wooden box with some strange markings on the outside edges, they look kind of Egyptian but not quite,” Gwen explained. “it's in the middle of the floor in the main hub, we have no idea how it got there.”

“No-ones touched it have they?” Jack asked her, racking his brain, knowing it sounded familiar.

“How long have I worked for Torchwood Jack?” Gwen retorted with a small snort of laughter. “Of course not, it's exactly where we found it.”

“Good, we'll be there in a few minutes,” Jack told her and cutting the comms.

“Do you know what it is?” Ianto asked, seeing the now familiar look on his husbands face that he had come to recognise since Jack started having the dreams and nightmares, one of frustration and confusion.

“It's there, right on the tip of my tongue, I know that I know what it is but ... it ...dammit!” Jack grumbled.

“Is it something dangerous?” Ianto asked again, trying to spark something in the Captains mind.

“I ... don't think so ...” Jack groaned loudly and hit the steering wheel hard with his hands before turning into the underground garage and parking. “perhaps it'll come to me when I see it.”

“It could just be some futuristic toy, you never know,” Ianto chuckled, unclipping his seat belt and exiting the car.

“This is in the Torchwood hub, since when would we be that lucky?” Jack grinned, locking the car and leading the way into the base.

Entering the hub they could see both Damien and Chloe at his workstation and Gwen was walking slowly around the item in question on the floor holding the scanner.

“Anything?” Jack called out, taking off his coat letting Ianto take it.

“Nothing, no radiation, no signs of any toxins and even though it appears to be made of wood I can't see the contents,” Gwen informed him, coming to a stop beside Jack.

“Nothing in the data bases either,” Damien called out to him and then headed over to where the others stood with Chloe.

Jack crouched down on his haunches and peered more closely at the box, it appeared to be a perfect cube in shape and about a foot square.

He could see what Gwen meant about the symbols on the outside, they weren't Egyptian but they did look like they were along the same lines.

Reaching out Jack picked it up off the floor and then straightened up so he was standing again.

“Are you sure that's wise?” Ianto asked, appearing with a tray of coffees.

“It's not dangerous,” Jack replied. “I know what it is now.”

With that Jack walked away and up to his office, closing the door behind him and placing it on his desk as he sat in his chair and stared at it, not seeing the bewildered looks on his husband and teams faces.

Jack looked up when he heard the knock on the glass off the door and gave his husband a weak smile when he opened it and walked in, closing it behind him.

“What is it Jack?” Ianto asked gently, moving around to Jack's side of the desk and perching on the edge. “Have you opened it?”

“Not yet, I'm not sure I should,” Jack told him, his eyes on the box again.

“Just tell me what it is cariad,” Ianto asked, reaching out and tracing the symbols on the top with his fingertips.

“It's a memory box,” Jack explained. “the contents will bring back anyone's memories no matter how they were lost.”

“But that's what you want isn't it, to know what happened in those missing two years?” Ianto asked. “So we can put all these nightmares behind us and move on?”

“What if there are things I don't want to remember, things I'll hate about myself?” Jack replied. “if it was the Time Agency that wiped my memories as I always assumed, why did they do it? I must have done something really bad for them to do it and if it wasn't them, if I did it to myself?”

“You're scared you did something so awful that you couldn't live with yourself?” Ianto asked.

“Yeah,” Jack admitted.

“But your memories could come back anyway, whether you us whatever's in this box Jack,” Ianto tried to rationalize. “If this would make it quicker wouldn't that be better than how it is now, little snippets of your forgotten life?”

“In a way but it's not without it's side effects,” Jack sighed. “my brain will become overloaded with memories, it'll hurt and ... it could send me into shock, even a coma for a while.”

“Then you shouldn't do it!” Ianto told him adamantly.

“I don't know what to do Ianto, in one way it would get it all over with in a few days but on the other ...” Jack paused for a second. “shit!”

“Can I look in the box?” Ianto asked, wanting to know what it entailed.

Jack nodded slowly and watched as his husband lifted the lid, the box was indeed made of wood but it was lined with a metal which had shielded the contents from the scanner.

“There's a note,” Ianto said surprised, lifting out the sheet of paper with hand written text upon it.

“It's probably just the instructions,” Jack shrugged.

“Nope, it's from Syrina,” Ianto told him, cocking an eyebrow he scanned through it before reading it out to Jack.

Jack,

I told you I had something on the ship that could help you, I wasn't going to help after you refused my offer but after seeing how your dreams and visions affect you I knew I couldn't leave this time without giving you the option.

I'm sure you know exactly what this is and how it works and if you don't use it, well I will understand completely, I've seen the side effects first hand.

But if you do use it I know you have those around you who care and will look after you during and after, including that cute husband of yours.

I think you should do this Captain, despite the side effects, get some closure to that missing part of your life.

Syrina.

After handing Jack to the note Ianto turned his attention back to the contents of the box, it held a large vial of orange liquid and two small clear pots, each containing three pills, three red in one and three blue in the other.

There was also a syringe and another piece of folded paper, which Ianto assumed were the instructions for use and for now he was happy for it to reside at the bottom of the box.

“If you do this it's your decision, I will respect whatever you decide,” Ianto told him. “however, first I want you to discuss the pro and cons with Chloe and see what she thinks.”

Jack reached out and pulled Ianto off the edge of his desk and onto his lap, kissing him softly and wrapping his arms tightly around him before replying.

“You're sure about this, even if I decide to do it?” Jack asked.

“Positive,” Ianto replied.

“Then I will talk to Chloe, soon” Jack promised and then kissed his husband again. “very soon.”

“You might need to let go of me first,” Ianto chuckled softly.

“Yeah, not that soon,” Jack grinned, claiming his husbands lips once more.

TBC


	28. Chapter 28

“So, if we do this, how does it work?” Chloe asked, waving her hand in the direction of the wooden box and it's contents.

“The orange liquid is what activates the memories, you would have to inject it into the back of my neck, just below the base of my skull.” Jack replied. “half the dose followed by the blue pills and then the rest of the dose.”

“What are the blue pills for and the red ones for that matter?” Ianto asked, picking up the small plastic pots and rattling them.

“The blue ones work with the liquid, the liquid is what activate the memories as I said but they need another chemical to kick start the process,” Jack told them. “the red ones are basically antidepressants, for when the procedure is over.”

“But there's only three?” Chloe stated.

“The memories maybe traumatic and ... well, they are very strong,” Jack told them. “if you look more closely at the pills you'll see they are numbered one to three, you start with number one, the highest dose and then twenty fours hours you take number two and finally number three after another twenty four hours.”

“And then your all fine and dandy?” Ianto scoffed.

“Yeah,” Jack shrugged, “that's about the size of it.”

“You've got to be kidding me?!” Chloe exclaimed. “extreme trauma, depression even cured with three pills?”

“Depression is almost eradicated by the forty fifth century,” Jack told them with a shrug. “they discovered a drug back in the thirty ... sixth century I believe and after a few years and many tweaks of the dose they finally got a drug that worked fast.”

“Shame it takes so long,” Chloe sighed. “anyway, back to the matter in hand, what are the side effects of this procedure, other than the trauma?”

“It's going to hurt, no doubt about that and I could go into shock,” Jack replied, telling her what he had told Ianto earlier. “it could put me in a coma.”

“A coma? How long for?” Chloe asked.

“I might never come out of it,” Jack replied, avoiding eye contact with his husband.

“No way Jack, there's no way you are doing this,” Ianto told him, waving his hands at the box dramatically. “what about the kids, us, is it worth the risk of ending up in a coma?”

“The risk is tiny Ianto, but I have to ... to try, I can't live like this, not knowing anymore,” Jack replied, taking Ianto's hands in his own. “I might never get my memories back fully and I need to, the nightmares are causing me so much pain.”

“How tiny?” Ianto asked, seeing the tears forming in the corners of his husbands eyes.

“Two percent,” Jack told him. “just two percent.”

“If you go into a coma you get three days, after that ... after that I will shoot you ... there's no way I'm leaving you in that condition,” Ianto told him, his voice thick with emotion. “will you lose your memories again?”

“No, I don't think so, the dreams haven't gone away when I've died so as far as I know the memories will be back for good,” Jack replied. “I have to know who that woman and baby are and why the memories are missing, if it was the Time Agency that took them ... or if I did it to myself.”

“Okay,” Ianto replied simply.

“You're sure?” Jack asked, the tears now running down his cheeks.

“Am I sure? You're the one about to go through this!” Ianto exclaimed.

“And you have to see me in pain, as much as I need to do this if you say you don't want me to then I will accept your wishes.” Jack replied softly.

“There's just one thing, the kids Jack,” Ianto replied. “Caden and Eloise, they sense your moods, your dreams and nightmares, they might sense your pain.”

“Shit, I never thought of that!” Jack frowned, thumping his hand down on his desk. “There's no way I can do this, I can't put them through that.”

“How long does the initial process take, how long will you be in pain?” Chloe asked.

“About twelve hours or so,” Jack replied. “why?”

“We could do it at night, give the twins a mild sedative, it should block out anything they would normally pick up from you,” Chloe suggested. “I know it's not ideal but it should solve the problem.”

“I'm not sure I like the idea of sedating the twins,” Ianto frowned.

“It will only be for that short time, they'll just be in a deep sleep for all intents and purposes,” Chloe replied. “it's up to you, both of you.”

“Can you give us a few minutes alone please Chloe?” Jack asked.

“Sure, I'll be in the medical bay if you need me,” she replied, picking up the box and taking it with her.

“The twins will be okay, won't they?” Ianto asked, tugging Jack closer and resting his forehead on his husbands.

“They won't even be aware they were ... given anything,” Jack told him. “if we're going to do this then I can't subject them to it too.”

“Then we do it tonight, before I change my mind,” Ianto replied. “we should go home so we can pick up the twins from school and spend the evening with them and slip the sedatives in their bedtime drinks.”

“We'll have to tell Claire what we've done,” Jack replied. “she needs to know.”

“Of course.” Ianto nodded. “it's almost two thirty now, we should get going if we're going to meet them from school.”

“You call Claire and let her know that we're going to collect the kids from school, I'll go and get the sedatives from Chloe,” Jack replied, pressing his lips softly to his husbands.

“Okay,” Ianto agreed, kissing Jack tenderly before they dragged themselves apart, then watching his husband bound down the stairs he pulled out his mobile phone wondering if they were doing the right thing.

TBC


	29. Chapter 29

“Daddy, Dada,” Eloise and Caden yelled out excitedly seeing their fathers waiting for them in the playground with the puppies when they came out school.

Jack and Ianto crouched down to catch their children as they barrelled across the tarmac and into their waiting arms, Eloise into Ianto's and Caden into Jack's with the puppies jumping up at them and licking them enthusiastically.

“Have you had a good day at school?” Jack asked, straightening up and letting Caden take Chewie's lead.

“We made cakes,” Eloise beamed, turning around in circles on the spot while trying to stop Princess tangling her lead around her ankles.

“Cakes, where are ours?” Ianto asked.

“We ate them!” Caden giggled as his sister lost the battle and landed on her behind with a small bump, her arms covering her face when both puppies tried to lick it.

“You okay sweetheart?” Ianto asked his daughter, lifting her to her feet.

Eloise nodded, fighting off the tears that threatened in her eyes, more out of embarrassment that pain.

“Where are Dylan and Claire?” Caden asked.

“At home with Jenni, she's going to look after him while we go out for dinner as Dylan is too small to eat yet,” Jack replied. “where do you want to eat?”

“Pizza!” The twins yelled out together.

“Pizza it is then,” Ianto laughed. “but first we need to take these little monsters home.”

“They're not monsters, they're puppies!” Caden pouted.

“It's just a phrase,” Jack grinned at their children. “everyone in the car!”

The puppies jumped in onto the back seat first followed by the twins and their parents in the front, Jack waited until their children had belted themselves in before even starting the engine and then they headed for their house.

Reaching home the puppies were left in Claire's care and the twins shot up to their rooms to change out of their school uniforms with a little help from their fathers, less than ten minutes later they were out the door and in the car again and a further ten more they were seated in the Italian restaurant they favoured.

“How about we each choose a pizza and ask for it to be divided into slices and then we can all have some of each?” Jack suggested, knowing from past experience that the twins had trouble choosing.

“Okay daddy,” Eloise replied happily.

“But I want pepperoni and I want it all to myself!” Caden moaned.

“Until they arrive and you decide you want some of my meat feast?” Ianto asked him with a knowing grin.

“But ...” Caden began to retort.

“No arguments,” Jack told him. “we all share.”

“Fine!” Caden mumbled, crossing his arms and glaring at his parents.

“Would you rather go without? We can always get them to takeaway and send you to bed without any dinner unless you stop being a little monster?” Ianto suggested.

“I'm not a monster, I'm a boy,” Caden grumbled causing the other three to laugh and make him pout even more and then added grudgingly. “okay, I'll share.”

“Good boy,” Jack smiled at him. “who wants dough balls while we wait for the pizza's?”

“Me, me, me, me, me,” the kids chanted as the waitress approached their table to take their order.

Some while later the the kids looked like they were bursting at the seems even with Jack and Ianto eating the majority of the slices of pizza but when it was suggested they didn't need dessert the kids insisted that they wanted ice cream.

Caden chose strawberry, Eloise picked chocolate, just one scoop each and Jack and Ianto had both along with vanilla in one bowl to share.

“I feel sick daddy,” Eloise groaned, dropping her spoon into the empty ice cream bowl.

“What about you Caden?” Ianto asked their son.

“I'm okay,” the little boy replied, looking a little green around the gills.

“How about a walk to help dinner go down?” Jack suggested. “along the Plass?”

“Can we go on the invisible lift?” Eloise asked excited, feeling sick completely forgotten.

“Please, please!” Caden chanted, bouncing on his seat while Jack went to pay the bill.

“We'll see what daddy says,” Ianto told them.

“We haven't seem Myfanwy in ages,” Eloise said as if to make a point.

“What's all the excitement?” Jack asked, returning to his family.

“Dada said we can go on the invisible lift and see Myfanwy,” Caden burst out.

“No, I didn't, I said you'd have to ask daddy,” Ianto replied, giving Jack a look that told him to agree.

“Okay, but remember that Gwen, Chloe and Damien are working hard because we've taken time off to be with you so you need to be on your best behaviour,” Jack replied.

“We will daddy,” Eloise replied, nodding her head furiously along with her brother.

“Come on then,” Ianto said, taking Eloise's hand and led her from the restaurant with Jack and Caden following behind.

When they reached the Plass Jack took Ianto's free hand with his own and the family spread out, walking towards the water tower, reaching it Jack and Ianto picked up the twins so they could all fit on the slab and with a couple of presses to the buttons on Jack's wrist strap they began their descent.

Once they were in the hub and had said hello, with lots of hugs to the rest of the team Ianto pulled out a large bar of dark chocolate from Myfanwy's stash, unwrapped it and broke it in two, handing half each to the twins and then called out to the dinosaur with the whistle he had trained her to respond a good few years earlier.

The twin stood in the middle of the main hub where there was plenty of room and watched excitedly as Myfanwy swooped down, circling the air space above them and getting lower and lower until he landed rather gracefully a few feet away from them.

Then she shuffled forwards towards the outstretched hands and took first the chocolate from Caden's hand and swallowed it down followed by Eloise's offering with the behaviour of a well trained dog.

The dinosaur sat patiently while the twin stroked her long beak for a minute or so under the watchful eye of everyone else in the hub and then with a flap of her wings she flew back up to her nest above.

“Can we go home now and play with the puppies?” Caden asked.

“Are you bored already?” Jack asked him with a smile.

Caden nodded.

“I have no idea where he gets his short attention span from,” Ianto chuckled, glancing at his husband.

“Hey, I don't have a short attention span!” Jack retorted.

“It depends what you're doing,” Ianto laughed. “are you ready to go too Eloise?”

“Okay dada,” Eloise smiled, already moving to say her goodbyes to Gwen, Chloe and Damien with Caden following suit.

By the time they reached home it was not far short of the twins bedtime, Jenni had already been collected by Rhys and Dylan was already in bed.

They played with the twins and the puppies for a little while until the children started yawning and then let Claire take them up for their baths while they spent a little time alone.

“Are you still sure you want to do this?” Ianto asked his husband, sliding his arms around his waist once the kids were out of earshot.

“It's more a case of need than want,” Jack replied with a small sigh. “ on one hand I'm happy Syrina left that box and gave me the choice, but on the other ...”

“I could just get rid of it, pretend it was never here,” Ianto suggested.

“No, I need to end this,” Jack replied, kissing his husband softly on the lips. “I just hope you don't have to resort to shooting me,”

“So do I,” Ianto told him, not relishing the idea even though he knew he would do it if he had to.

“Lets make the kids some hot chocolate for when they get out the bath, we can put the sedatives in it,” Jack replied. “I hate sedating them but I'd hate myself more if they sensed any pain I'm in.”

“They'd understand if they were older,” Ianto reassured him. “we'll even top it with cream and sprinkles.”

“Lets just hope it doesn't make them feel sick again,” Jack chuckled softly.

With the twins tucked up in bed with their hot chocolate a little while later they kissed them both softly on the top of their heads and then popped into the nursery to repeat the same thing with baby Dylan and then made their way back to the hub where only Chloe was waiting for them.

“I thought we'd do this down in the kids playroom,” Chloe told them. “the bed is more comfortable and I've moved any equipment we might need already.”

“That's fine, lets get this over with,” Jack replied, already striding across the hub with Ianto and Chloe hot on his heels.

Jack stripped off his shirt and boots, just leaving his t-shirt and trousers on and lay on the bed, his head propped up with pillows while Chloe prepared two syringes with the required doses and got the dose of pills ready.

“Ready?” Chloe asked, picking up the first syringe.

“Yeah,” Jack replied, reaching for his husbands hand as he sat up to Chloe could administer the injection to the base of his skull.

Chloe carefully pierced the skin in the location as shown in the directions included in the box, Jack let out a small whimper and squeezed Ianto's hand tightly and then took the pill pot and tipped them into his mouth, swallowing them down with the water she then passed him.

“Right, now for the second injection,” Chloe said, picking it up and inserting the needle into the same place as the first and pressed the plunger, Jack letting out a louder whimper than the first, dropping his head back down to the pillows the moment she withdrew the needle.

“Are you okay?” Ianto asked gently, seeing a look in his husbands eyes that scared him.

“Not really no,” Jack told him in a strained voice and then out a loud scream as his body convulsed in pain on the bed.

TBC


	30. Chapter 30

“Hold him down,” Chloe yelled over Jack's screams, grabbing an already prepared syringe from the nearby table and pulling off the cap.

“What's in that?” Ianto asked, struggling to hold Jack so that he didn't fall off the bed.

“Sedative, he told me this might happen,” Chloe replied, plunging the needle into the top of the Captains arm and pressing the plunger.

“That's more than the bastard said to me,” Ianto told her angrily as Jack's body relaxed on the bed. “he said it would hurt ... but ... he never said ...”

“He told me that if you knew just how much this treatment would hurt you wouldn't let him go through with it,” Chloe told him gently. “but the idea of his memories slowly filtering through over what could be years was a worse prospect than the pain he would experience this way.”

“No wonder he agreed to sedating the twins, if they had felt that ...” Ianto trailed off, tears in the corner of his eyes as he watched Jack who was now seemingly sleeping peacefully.

“There's something else he didn't tell you,” Chloe told him. “if he dreams he'll stay like this, if he has nightmares though ... he could break through the drug I just gave him.”

“Fan-fucking-tastic!” Ianto growled.

“He's going this for you, your family Ianto,” Chloe replied, putting a hand on Ianto's shoulder. “he knows the nightmares are upsetting you, he's worried you'll be jealous of some of the dreams and on top of that there's the twins and we don't even know yet if little Dylan feels his emotions too.”

Ianto nodded slowly, a few tears escaping down his cheeks and perched on the edge of the bed, taking Jack's hand in his and bringing it up to his mouth to kiss the knuckles.

“What can I do?” Ianto asked the medic.

“Just what you're doing now, be there for him,” Chloe replied, wrapping a blood pressure cuff around Jack's arm that would monitor it automatically and then attached a clip to his finger to keep an eye on his pulse.

Bending forwards Ianto pressed his lips to his husbands, kissing him softly and whispering “I love you” against them before straightening up again.

“The machine monitoring his blood pressure and pulse is connected to my computer, any change and it will alert me,” Chloe told him. “I'll leave you both alone unless there's any problem, I'll just be up in the main hub.”

“Thanks Chloe,” Ianto replied, not really registering her leaving the room.

With Jack laying peacefully Ianto kicked off his shoes and stretched out beside his husband on the single bed, curling into his side and placing a hand over his heart, feeling it beating beneath and rested his head on Jack's shoulder.

*~*~*

_“Argh!” The brunette on the bed screamed, her face red and covered in perspiration._

_“It's not to late for a caesarian Megan,” Jack told her, wiping her face with a wet cloth._

_“No, I want to do this naturally,” Megan replied with a weak smile. “too many women take that option these days, they should be happy they can do something that men can't when giving birth.”_

_“Then have something for the pain at least?” Jack asked, hating seeing the woman he loved in such agony._

_“I'm fine,” she panted, feeling another contraction beginning to peak and then bit down on her lip to stop herself screaming._

_“She's doing just fine,” the midwife assured Jack. “just a few more minutes and your baby will be here.”_

_“Just make her have something for the pain,” Jack hissed at the woman._

_“There's no point,” she replied, ducking her head down to check the progress of the baby between Megan's legs. “the baby's crowning, come on Megan, another big push.”_

_With a loud yell Megan bore down, putting her all in the push._

_“Good girl, now I need you to pant for me,” the midwife instructed, reaching between Megan's legs where the baby's head was out and carefully manoeuvring it's shoulders. “okay, now one more push.”_

_Megan's grunt became a sigh of relief when she felt the baby slide from her body._

_“What is it?” Jack asked excitedly._

_“You don't know?” The midwife asked amazed._

_“Megan insisted, she's been reading all these books on child birth in the twentieth and twenty first centuries,” Jack told her. “she wanted to do this as naturally as possible, including not knowing the sex.”_

_“It's a girl,” the midwife smiled, handing the baby to the nurse who cleaned and weighed the infant before wrapping her in a blanket and handing her to Jack._

_“She's beautiful,” Jack sighed, tears in his eyes._

_“Does she have a name?” the midwife asked._

_“Victoria,” Megan grinned._

_“You're really into all this history stuff aren't you?” the midwife asked, finishing helping Megan clean up and change her gown. “that's such a beautiful old name.”_

_“Ever since I was a kid,” Megan smiled, settling into a sitting position on the now clean bed._

_Jack kissed his daughter on the brow and then handed her to his wife, the look on her face as he took her daughter told him that all the pain she had been through was worth it._

_“You are so having the next one,” Megan said to Jack, winking at the midwife._

_“Next one? Victoria is barely half an hour old!” Jack exclaimed._

_“So, you have no objection to having the next one, just not yet?” the midwife asked._

_“No, no objection at all,” Jack grinned._

*~*~*

“Ianto, are you there?” Chloe voice cam over the comm.

“Yep,” Ianto replied, half asleep.

“The monitors are all still registering as normal, how's he acting?” Chloe asked.

“Sleeping peacefully, but I think he's dreaming,” Ianto told her. “he has a smile on his face and murmured the name Victoria just now.”

“Victoria eh?” Chloe replied with a chuckle. “could mean anything, even the queen knowing Jack.”

“Tell me about it,” Ianto sighed.

“Try and get some sleep yourself while he's quiet,” Chloe told him. “rest while he is and I'll pop in and check on you both soon.”

“Will do,” Ianto promised as Chloe cut the comm and closed his eyes.

TBC


	31. Chapter 31

_“Hey gorgeous, what do they call you?” Jack asked the blonde standing at the bar in the space port lounge._

_The blonde looked him coolly up and down before replying._

_“And why should I tell you?” She asked._

_“I could show you the stars,” Jack grinned._

_“That has got to be one of the oldest lines in the book,” the blonde giggled. “you work for the Time Agency, yes?”_

_“How ever did you guess,” Jack asked, gesturing at his own uniform with his hands._

_“I'm out with my friends, one of them is leaving tonight for a new job in the Saga Quadrant so we're here to see her off,” the blonde told him. “give me one good reason why I should abandon them for you?”_

_“The jawline, so I'm told,” Jack grinned._

_“Well, it is attached to a rather handsome face,” the blonde grinned. “not sure that's enough though.”_

_“I'm only here for one night, I have to leave in the morning on a new mission,” Jack shrugged. “you'll miss your only chance.”_

_“Don't you lot always travel in pairs? Where's your partner?” she asked, prolonging her answer._

_“He had a better offer,” Jack chuckled._

_“Did he indeed, now if you want to know my name, I think I should know yours first?” She replied._

_“You can call me Jack,” he told her._

_“I'm Jasmine, just give me a minute,” she told him, turning around and moving towards the group of young women at the other end of the room._

_Jack took a sip of his cocktail and watched the way her long, white blonde hair which reached down to her arse swung as she walked with a smile on his lips._

_“One look at you and they all agreed I should make the most of your offer,” Jasmine told him when she returned shortly._

_“They all have good taste then,” Jack grinned._

_“Lets hope you can live up to your own estimation,” Jasmine replied, taking his drink from his hand and swallowing the remaining contents down in one swallow. “lets get going.”_

_“Going where?” Jack asked._

_“My place, it's within walking distance,” she told him, putting her arm through his and steering him from the bar and space port._

_“I think I like you even more by the second,” Jack_ _laughed, following her through a doorway soon after._

*~*~*

“Are you awake” Chloe asked softly.

Ianto opened his eyes, he hadn't been asleep but she'd entered the room so stealthily he hadn't heard her footsteps.

“Yep,” Ianto replied, pushing himself up on one elbow, his hand still on Jack's chest.

“No nightmares so far, that's good,” Chloe said, double checking the monitor readings.

“Thankfully, but considering the nightmares he's had I'm sure he won't escape the bad memories for long,” Ianto replied sadly, moving his hand from his husbands chest and brushing his fingers through Jack's fringe and then stroking them down his cheek before replacing it on his chest.

“Can I get you anything, a drink?” Chloe asked, moving to stand closer to the bed.

“I'm fine thanks, maybe later,” Ianto told her just as Jack let out a soft moan.

“He's smiling, he looks so relaxed when he's asleep,” Chloe said.

“I wish he slept more,” Ianto replied. “but I'm used to it now after all these years.”

“Jasmine,” the name slipped from Jack's lips, barely more than a whisper.

“Jasmine?” Chloe asked seeing Ianto frown.

“I only know of two Jasmine's,” Ianto replied. “one was a child that was taken by the faeries, a chosen one, so many years ago now and the other was Teyla's mum.”

“Do you really think he could be dreaming about the child?” Chloe asked, already knowing the answer.

“No, he's remembering Teyla's mum,” Ianto replied, unable to stop himself feeling a little upset over whatever the event ultimately caused, Jack's daughter's anger and untimely death. “if he's not a complete mess when he's finished this ...”

“Jack's strong, he'll survive this,” Chloe replied, trying to reassure her friend.

“I hope so, because once he has these memories back even death won't remove them,” Ianto told her sadly.

“But there will be good memories among the bad, lets hope the good ones help balance everything out,” Chloe told him. “I'll leave you both be again now, I'll bring you a drink when I come back next.”

“Something cold would be good,” Ianto replied with a smile. “and alcoholic!”

“Beer? I think there's a bottle in the fridge that Damien left here,” Chloe asked.

“That'll do nicely,” Ianto replied as she squeezed his arm and them left the room as quietly as she had arrived.

Ianto resumed kissed Jack's cheek and then resumed his former position.

*~*~*

_“Nice place,” Jack told Jasmine, looking around the airy, spacious apartment._

_“It's close to work, I like it,” Jasmine told him, shrugging off her thin jacket and laying it over the back of a chair and moving closer to Jack, sliding her arms around his neck and kissing him softly on the lips._

_Jack placed his hands on her hips, sliding them down over her buttocks and pulling her even closer so that their bodies were flush and kissed her hard, making her gasp when he nipped her bottom lip._

_“Bedroom,” Jasmine panted, breaking the kiss. “now!”_

_Jack made no objection when she dragged him through the connecting door and pushed him down on the bed, straddling him._

*~*~*

The low moan that Jack emitted made Ianto's eyes spring open, moving into a sitting position beside his husband he could see a look cross his face that he would recognise anywhere and when his eyes flick involuntarily downwards there was no denying the bulge in the front of Jack's trousers.

“Shit!” Ianto muttered, realising just what Jack was dreaming, especially when his husband uttered Jasmine's name again.

Clambering carefully off the bed Ianto stood beside it for a while, watching the expressions on his husbands face, knowing each and every one of them until he couldn't take anymore.

The logical part of his brain was telling him that it was only a dream, a memory of a woman he had slept with a very long time ago and that it shouldn't matter but the other part of his brain was jealous.

“Dammit,” Ianto growled to himself, leaving the room, hating himself for abandoning Jack but unable to watch his husbands arousal over another person.

“Ianto?” Chloe asked, seeing him appear in the main hub. “Is something wrong? Jack's pulse and blood pressure are up slightly but not enough for me to worry about?”

“He's fine, I just need to get out of there,” Ianto told her, trying not to sound as upset as he felt. “I need that beer more than I thought.”

“Talk to me Ianto, has he said something again? Something that's upset you?” Chloe persisted, following him to the kitchenette.

“It's not what he said,” Ianto replied, taking the beer from the fridge and prizing the cap off with the bottle opener.

“Then what?” Chloe pushed.

“He's ... he's ... I think, no I know he's having an erotic dream, memory ... whatever you want to call it,” Ianto told her, angry with himself. “he's aroused.”

“Aroused?” Chloe asked, more concerned about the man before her that Jack at that moment.

“I know it's stupid and that I shouldn't be jealous but ...” Ianto trailed off.

“It's not stupid,” Chloe told him softly. “I'd react the same way of I thought James was having erotic dreams about another woman.”

“But I left him alone down there, what kind of husband does that make me?” Ianto asked. “I should be staying with him no matter what!”

“Human,” Chloe smiled, taking the beer bottle from him and stealing a swig before handing it back. “you'll go back to him soon and he'll never know you were gone, he would understand, you know he would.”

“Do you know something, you're right,” Ianto told her with a small smile. “I need to get some fresh air, can you bring him up on the CCTV and keep an eye on him, I'll only be a few minutes.”

“Consider it done,” Chloe replied, walking back into the main hub with him and heading for her workstation while Ianto donned his coat and headed towards the invisible lift.

TBC


	32. Chapter 32

The cool breeze ruffled Ianto's hair as he emerged onto the Plass, rubbing his hands over his arms he briefly wished he had grabbed his coat before venturing outside but it was too late now.

Checking no-one was looking directly towards him Ianto stepped off the slab and began to walk in the direction of the bay, not expecting to see anyone he knew that late in the evening he was a little amazed to see Ben walking towards him.

“Ianto? Oh my god Ianto!” Ben exclaimed, grabbing his friend and pulling him into a hug, into which Ianto went willingly. “It's been ages since I last saw you, how's Jack? The twins?”

“The twins are great,” Ianto grinned broadly. “and we have another one now, Dylan, he's still only a baby.”

“You mean you got Jack up the duff again,” Ben chuckled. “now that was one shock I'll never forget!”

“I should have called you, sorry, how's Sandy?” Ianto asked.

“She's just great, we've finally got a house of our own and trying for a baby,” Ben told him happily. “her parents aren't to ecstatic about the fact that we haven't married yet but we can't afford both, the baby seems more important somehow so the wedding in on the back burner.”

“That's fantastic, I hope it happens soon for you, becoming a father was one of the best things to ever happen to me,” Ianto told him, giving him a friendly slap on the shoulder.

“Thanks, what are you doing wandering around here on your own?” Ben asked. “you and Jack had a tiff?”

“No, I just needed some fresh air,” Ianto replied, sitting down on a wooden bench overlooking the bay. “he's doing okay, just been having some nightmares lately that we're trying to deal with.”

“From his past?” Ben asked, taking a seat beside his friend.

“Yep, but you really don't need me waffling about it now,” Ianto told him. “shouldn't you be getting home to Sandy?”

“She's out on a hen night, one of her mates is getting married next weekend,” Ben explained. “I've been in the pub playing pool but I've got work in the morning so I need to get some sleep.”

Ianto laughed. “A sign that we really are getting old.”

“Speak for yourself!” Ben exclaimed, chuckling. “Come on, talk to me, who else can you talk to about this stuff?”

“My family ... but they'd just worry,” Ianto sighed. “I know you've not even told Sandy about Jack and I appreciate that.”

“And I will keep anything else you tell me to myself too,” Ben reassured him. “you know I will and you can get whatever's bothering you off your chest.”

Ianto pondered his friends words for a moment or two before replying.

“You're right,” he finally admitted.

“Spill!” Ben retorted, leaning back against the wooden struts of the bench and folding his arms.

“Not long after Dylan was born Jack started having strange dreams and nightmares,” Ianto explained. “he didn't tell me at first, when they were just dreams but the nightmares were harder to keep secret when they woke him up screaming.”

“Do you know what's causing them?” Ben asked.

“Before Jack came here, he lost two years of his memories,” Ianto continued. “he always thought they were taken by the agency he was working for at the time but now he's not so sure, he thinks he may have done it to himself.”

“Why would anyone do something like that?” Ben asked bemused.

“Because the memories were so horrific that he couldn't bare to keep them, that is if he did do it himself, we really don't know yet,” Ianto replied, looking at his watch. “but we should in about ... eight hours.”

“How?” Ben pushed.

“He's had an injection, a drug that will awaken his memories, no matter how deep they are or what caused them,” Ianto explained. “I can't really tell you what because I don't really know myself but it was a gift, a gift we never expected.”

“Something alien?” Ben guessed.

“Yep,” Ianto admitted.

“Wow!” Ben exclaimed.

“I hope so, these memories could break him,” Ianto replied sadly. “even though there's another drug to counteract the side effects, depression, I could find myself with a man I really don't know.”

“Ianto, no matter what these dreams reveal Jack will still be the man you love, married, the father of your children,” Ben told him, and then after a small pause continued with a small smile. “or in his case mother.”

“Don't let Jack ever hear you say that,” Ianto replied, unable to stop himself chuckling too.

“So, why exactly are you up here and not at your husbands side?” Ben asked him, becoming serious again.

“He was having a dream and ... well, I got jealous,” Ianto admitted. “he was dreaming about a woman from his past, one I actually know of and well ... he got turned on in his sleep.”

“You got jealous of a past lover?” Ben asked.

“Yep, and do you know the really stupid thing about this?” Ianto asked. “I know for a fact that he only had a one night stand with her, she meant nothing to him.”

“On one hand, I can see where you're coming from,” Ben replied. “but on the other, yes, you're an idiot!”

“I am, I really am,” Ianto agreed. “and I think it's time I got back to Jack and stayed with him for when the nightmares kick in.”

“Good, 'cos I need to go home to sleep,” Ben laughed, getting up from the bench.

“Next time it won't be so long before we speak, I promise,” Ianto replied. “and thanks, it was good to talk to someone other than my work mates.”

“Any time and don't worry about it, I know work and the kids keep you and Jack busy,” Ben told him. “however I'd like to meet Dylan before he becomes a teenager.”

“I'll call you, once this is all over,” Ianto told him, walking along the bay with him and then bidding him goodbye when Ben headed off towards home.

Ianto made for the Tourist Office, deciding to re-enter the hub that way as it was closer and finding Chloe still at her workstation when he reached the main area.

“Are you okay?” She asked him.

“Better, much better,” Ianto told her with a smile. “how's Jack doing?”

“You'll be happy to know his blood pressure and pulse rate are back to normal and he appears to be sleeping peacefully,” Chloe replied.

“He is just sleeping, he's not slipped into a coma?” Ianto asked, staring at the image of his husband on the monitor.

“Sleeping, I promise,” Chloe told him.

“You know, as much as I don't want him to suffer the bad memories he needs to have them or we've not achieved anything with this treatment,” Ianto told her. “all I can hope is that they don't cause him too much pain, physical pain on top of the mental stress.”

“Whatever happens, we'll deal with it,” Chloe told him softly, reaching for his hand and squeezing it gently. “now go back down there and try and get some sleep, for Jack's sake if not your own.”

“I will, thanks for doing this for us Chloe,” Ianto told her.

“How could I refuse?” Chloe smiled. “now go!”

“Going,” Ianto grinned, jogging across the hub and down into the archives to the room Jack was currently sleeping in.

TBC


	33. Chapter 33

Ianto moved quietly towards his sleeping husband and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

“I love you gorgeous, always,” he told him softly then moved across the room to the small book shelf, which contained the children's books.

With a small smile to himself Ianto picked out one of the Harry Potter books at random and then settled in the recliner next to the bed, just using the light of the nearby lamp to read by.

Rarely having any time to read just for himself he devoured the book eagerly, reading out loud to children was a completely different experience to reading for your own pleasure and he found himself feeling very indulgent and loving it.

It was some two hours later when a sound from Jack distracted him from the novel, tucking a slip of paper inside as a bookmark Ianto got to his feet and after placing the book on his vacated chair he moved to Jack's side.

He could see Jack's eyes moving under his eyelids indicating that his husband was deep in REM sleep, it was the small moans that were worrying him.

Jack was lying completely still but the look on his face was far from that of restful sleep or the earlier dream induced pleasure, he was on the cusp of a nightmare and there was nothing Ianto could do but be there for him.

“Ianto?” Chloe's voice came over the comms loud and clear.

“I'm here,” Ianto responded, looking at the monitors and knowing exactly what she was about to tell him.

“Jack's heart rate and blood pressure have risen a little, how's he doing?” Chloe asked.

“He's not moving but from the expression on his face I think he's heading for a nightmare,” Ianto told her, taking his husbands hand in his own and kissing the palm softly before squeezing it tight.

“If he starts thrashing about he could breakthrough the sedative, let me know the minute you think this might happen so I can give him a booster,” Chloe instructed. “if he comes wakes up the pain from the treatment could send him into that coma he warned us about.”

“You'll know at the slightest indication,” Ianto told her, before chewing nervously on his bottom lip while watching the expressions on the Captains face.

*~*~*

_“Pregnant?” Jack repeated, trying to keep his voice less panicked than he felt. “How the hell did that happen?”_

_“The usual way Jack, it takes two you know!” Megan retorted, feeling tears pricking at her eyes._

_“But ... you can't be, you had that implant?” Jack argued. “I thought it was foolproof?”_

_“Yeah, well, so did I and and a few hundred other women who were prescribed it!” Megan replied, trying not to yell. “Haven't you been watching the news lately?”_

_“I've been away for the last two months, work remember!” Jack shouted at her. “not even in this time, let alone on this planet, is it even mine?”_

_“You bastard, how could you?” Megan screamed at him. “if either of us was going to sleep around it sure wouldn't be me!_

_“We've only been together for just over four months Megan, we're not ready for a baby,” Jack retorted, ignoring her statement._

_“Then you better make yourself ready because I am having this baby,” Megan told him adamantly. “and you are going to take responsibility for this child, who knows how many other children you have in the universe that you don't know about!”_

_“I am not that irresponsible!” Jack snapped at her._

_“I knew your reputation when I met you Jack, fuck 'em and leave 'em, I should never have thought I could be anything more to you,” Megan sneered._

_“What the hell has this got to do with you being pregnant?” Jack ranted._

_“Because I know exactly what's going to happen now,” Megan replied coldly. “you'll run as far as you can and find someone to comfort you and forget all about me and our child.”_

_“Have you even given me a chance to even think about this?” Jack ranted, throwing his hands in the air dramatically._

_“The expression on your face said it all the second I told you I was pregnant,” Megan replied, tears rolling freely down her face._

_“That was shock, not horror,” Jack replied, his tone softening. “I would never abandon a child that I've fathered, even if it's mother and I were no longer in a relationship.”_

_“Are you telling me this is it, we're over?” Megan said quietly._

_“No, oh no,” Jack replied, stepping forwards and closing the gap between them a little. “okay, so we haven't known each other long but who's to say it won't work?”_

_“You mean ...” Megan trailed off._

_“I mean that I'm not dumping you because you're pregnant,” Jack told her. “you could very well be the woman that tames me.”_

_“But ... on god Jack ...” Megan stuttered before throwing herself into his arms and sobbing hard against his shoulder._

_Jack just held her and stroked her back soothingly until the sobs subsided before speaking again._

_“I can't make you any promises, this is something I never imagined happening to me,” Jack told her carefully. “but I like you a lot, a care for you enough to have not cheated on you while I was away and when I returned I couldn't wait to see you ... but it it still early days and I think we should just see what happens.”_

_“Okay, but I want two promises from you,” Megan replied._

_“Go on,” Jack urged._

_“I don't want you to cheat on me, if you feel that this relationship isn't going anywhere then be honest with me,” Megan asked. “it would be less hurtful than finding out you were having an affair.”_

_“And the other one?” Jack replied._

_“Try to stay away from Hart, I know what's gone on between you both and I know that it's over but he's a bad influence on you,” Megan replied, looking him straight in the eye. “if you are ever partnered again, please request another partner.”_

_“Yeah,” Jack said, giving her a small smile._

_“Yeah what?” Mean frowned._

_“Everything you said,” Jack told her. “I promise to do as you ask.”_

_“Really?” Megan asked, both eyebrows lifting upwards._

_“Really,” Jack confirmed, pressing his lips first to her brow and then to her lips and his hand to her belly feeling the tiny bump. “how far gone are you?”_

_“Almost three months,” Megan smiled._

_“Shit!” Jack exclaimed._

_“Yep,” Megan replied, smiling up at him. “and I think it's going to be a girl.”_

_“A daughter? I like the sound of that,” Jack replied, surprised at the honesty in his response._

_“Now we just have to tell my parents,” Megan told him, seeing that look of panic cross his face again._

_“Shit!” Jack repeated._

*~*~*

Ianto felt himself relax when Jack's expression softened again, relieved that his husbands obviously bad dream hadn't turned into a nightmare, but after kissing Jack on the lips and settling back into his chair with his book he knew that the worst was still to come.

They would finally find out what sparked the nightmares, what happened to the woman and the baby from his dreams and nightmares and how exactly he lost two years of his memories.

TBC


	34. Chapter 34

When Chloe looked in on Jack and Ianto a little later she found Ianto engrossed his in his book, sitting nest to Jack with the recliner leaning back in it's furthest position.

“I brought you some coffee,” Chloe said when Ianto peered over his book at look at her. “I thought you might have got some sleep while Jack was quiet?”

“I tried but I can't settle,” Ianto replied, moving the chair back into it's upright position. “there's plenty of time for sleep once I know Jack is okay.”

“The bakers around the bay will be pulling their first batches of the day out the oven soon, I'm sure if I go around the back they'll let me have some,” Chloe told him. “hot pastries for an early breakfast?”

“That sounds good to me,” Ianto told her with a smile.

“I left some tests running in the autopsy bay, I better get back to them,” Chloe sighed. “I'll bring the pastries down when I've got them.”

“Thanks Chloe,” Ianto replied, getting to his feet, taking the coffee from her and setting it on top of the bookcase, walking to Jack's side as she left and kissing him softly on the lips.

Ianto straightened the blanket that covered his husbands body, smoothing it over him and then checked the monitors, with all the readings normal he took a sip of the coffee and then replaced it to his place on top of the bookcase.

“Back in a minute gorgeous, I need to go pee,” Ianto said softly to Jack, kissing him again and after one more check of the monitors he jogged from the room towards the bathroom.

*~*~*

_“They're not responding Sir,” Jack yelled down his comm at his superior._

_“Try again on another frequency,” the order came back. “surely they can't just be ignoring us?”_

_“It's looking that way Sir,” Jack told him. “but I shall transmit on all known channels.”_

_Jack turned the dial before him and then pressed various buttons on the control panel of his ship and then taking a deep breath he repeated his order to the ship invading their airspace illegally._

_“This is by order of the Time Agency, under section thirty two of the Shadow Proclamation you are required by law to announce yourself before entering out atmosphere if your vessel is armed,” Jack stated. “our scanners show us that not only are you armed but that your ship contains a laser cannon capable of wiping out half the planet in one single blast. You will leave our airspace now or disarm your weapons.”_

_The only sound that came back to Jack was one of static, with a long sigh Jack repeated the order once more, only to receive the same response yet again._

_“Still not responding Sir,” Jack called down his comm._

_“Then we have no choice but to treat them as hostile,” the response came in his ear. “Jack, lead your squadron after the alien vessel and fire at will.”_

_“Yes Sir,” Jack replied. “you heard the Colonel men, lets go.”_

_Jack opened the throttle of his fighter ship and sped, along with his squadron from their position upwards, soaring up into the far reaches of the planets atmosphere where the alien ship was cruising._

_“This is your final warning,” Jack broadcast over all available channels again as his fleet began to approach the alien vessel. “if there are no signs of you powering down your weapons we will shoot to kill.”_

_Static the only answer that came back to his ears again._

_“Okay, men lets get the sucker,” Jack ordered, leading the onslaught. “we need to take out that laser canon before they can let it lose on this planet.”_

_Thoughts of Megan and baby Victoria ran through Jack's mind, determined that he wouldn't lose them to an alien threat he began his assault of the alien craft, firing constantly at it while his squadron performed their part perfectly, knocking out the laser canon._

_“Got ya, you bastards!” One of his men yelled down the comm when the crafts engines burst into flame and it began falling from the sky._

_“Alien craft dealt with Colonel,” Jack confirmed down the comm. “it looks like it's going to crash in sector seven-one-six luckily.”_

_“Confirmed,” the Colonels voice came back to him. “head back to base now, I'll meet you at the crash site.”_

_“Yes Sir,” Jack confirmed, congratulating his team on their good work and telling them to head back to base._

_Jack left his ship in the hands of the ground crew and rushed from the Time Agency's base, he'd never admit it but he found this side of the job more exhilarating than dealing with matters of time and those trying to abuse it._

_Jumping into his hover car Jack sped to the crash site, finding his superior already there along with the salvage crew._

_“There's something very strange about all this,” the Colonel told Jack when he saw him approaching. “the ship never fired a single shot back and we've only found one alien on board.”_

_“Just one alien, or a warship that size?” Jack frowned. “That's ...”_

_“Yeah, I know,” the colonel frowned. “they're bringing it out now.”_

_They stood to one side watching two men struggling with the large creature on the stretcher, it was completely covered in purple scales, including it's face and it's eyes were a dull red._

_“I'm guessing those eyes are much more menacing when it's alive,” the Colonel said, giving a small shudder when one arm fell into view from under the thin sheet of fabric covering little more than it's torso._

_“What the fuck!” Jack exclaimed, moving forwards to get a closer look, stopping the men carrying it in their tracks._

_“It has four on each of them.” one of the men said. “we we're lucky we didn't come to harm moving it.”_

_Where the aliens hands should have been there were long protrusions that looked as sharp as knives and as sharp as swords._

_“No other weapons, I guess they don't need them,” the other man shrugged._

_“Get it back to base, we need to find out where this came from and why it came here,” the colonel ordered. “there is something very suspicious about this.”_

_The two men nodded and continued on their way with the stretcher to their nearby vehicle, after loading the alien in the back they sped off to their next destination._

_“Have you ever seen anything like that before Sir?” Jack asked the Colonel._

_“Never,” his superior answered. “come on, lets go get a drink.”_

_“That sounds good to me Sir,” Jack agreed, needing to wind down a little before_ _returning home to his family._

*~*~*

Ianto came back to find Jack had changed position to lie flat on his back, his had a look of what appeared to be contentment and he was cradling one of his pillows in his arms, holding it protectively.

Ianto brushed his fingers through Jack's fringe and then kissed his softly on the brow and then the lips, not expecting his husband to respond.

He felt Jack's lips move beneath his, returning his kiss and Ianto deepened it slightly.

He knew in his mind that whoever Jack was kissing in his sleep might not be him but he dismissed it, enjoying the short kiss before his husband pulled back again and kissed the pillow softly before stilling once more.

tbc


	35. Chapter 35

_“I should be getting home Sir,” Jack said, gulping down the last of his drink. “Megan will be wondering where I've got to.”_

_“How's the little'n doing, Victoria isn't it?” The Colonel enquired._

_“She's just the most beautiful baby in the universe,” Jack grinned proudly._

_“Aren't they all,” the Colonel grinned. “where did you come up with the name?”_

_“My wife is into history, she loves the old names, and not just from our solar system,” Jack told him. “I believe she chose it from a book on SOL 3, or Earth as it's otherwise know.”_

_“It's a good choice,” the Colonel nodded as a voice came down his comm._

_Jack listened to the one sided conversation._

_“Calm down man, just tell me what's happened?”_

_“But how the hell did they get here?”_

_“That ship was a decoy?”_

_Jack could see his superiors face growing redder and redder in anger as the conversation went on._

_“How many?”_

_“And they're swarming through the city?”_

_“Get everyone back in now, we have to stop them!”_

_“What is it, what's happened?” Jack asked the second the Colonel cut the call._

_“Those aliens, like the one in the space craft you and your men took down earlier, they're here in this city,” the Colonel replied, getting hastily to his feet and grabbing his jacket. “there have been reports of them rampaging through, killing indiscriminately.”_

_“Civilians?” Jack asked, trying to keep the panic out of his voice._

_“I'm afraid so, yes,” his superior replied. “it seems they landed in what appear to be transporter vessels on the far side of the city while we were dealing with their decoy.”_

_“But why?” Jack frowned._

_“According to Johnson they're a race called the 'T'rrark',” the Colonel filled him in while they rushed from the bar. “they live to destroy and conquer and only death will stop them.”_

_“Where are they?” Jack asked, concern for his family unable to stop his panic any longer. “Where in the city?”_

_“Lower south side,” the Colonel replied quietly._

_“Why the hell didn't you tell me this before?” Jack growled, pulling his gun from it's holster and checking it's status.”_

_“You can't go there alone Jack, wait and take a team with you,” his superior pleaded. “you could be killed.”_

_“My family could be dead before I get there,” Jack snapped back. “I'm going to save my family and don't even think of trying to stop me.”_

_“I won't, I'll send help, I promise,” the colonel told him, giving Jack a pat on the arm before Jack ran for his transport and sped towards home._

*~*~*

The sounds coming from Jack woke his husband from the doze he had fallen into, the book on his lap fell to the floor as he leapt up from the recliner and moved to Jack's side.

“Ianto, what's wrong, Jack's vitals are rising rapidly,” Chloe's voice came down the comm to his ear.

“I guess the nightmares have started,” Ianto told her, grasping his husbands hand tightly while he tossed and turned on the bed muttering to himself.

“His pulse is racing,” Chloe stated. “and his blood pressure is rocketing, I'm going to come down and give him another dose of the sedative, we don't want him coming out of this before it's complete.”

“We can't take the risk of him going into a coma, just get it over with,” Ianto told her, fighting to stop Jack taking a tumble off the bed.

“Two minutes,” Chloe assured him, cutting the link.

“Gotta get there ... Megan ... Victoria ... they can't be ... have to save them ...” Jack babbled, total panic evident in his voice. “can't let them die ... get out the bloody way!”

“Shhh, shhh,” Ianto said softly to Jack in an attempt to sooth him. “it's only a bad dream.”

“Gotta ... alien bastards ...” Jack ranted. “can't lose them ... is the whole planet in this fucking flight path?”

“Mind out the way,” Chloe told Ianto, rushing into the room and grabbing one of the prepared syringes.

Not letting go of his husbands hand, Ianto moved out of Chloe's way, giving her access to Jack's arms and feeling his own sense of relief when she injected into Jack and felt the tension slide from his lovers body a little, enough for his to stop flinging himself around on the bed anyway.

“I just want to wake him up and stop all this,” Ianto sighed sadly to Chloe.

“It won't help,” Chloe replied, wrapping her arm around her friends waist and watching Jack with him. “he needs to do this, it'll give him closure one way or another over his lost memories.”

“I know ... it's just ... I think whatever he's remembering now, it has something to do with the woman and the baby,” Ianto told her. “he mentioned two names, Megan and Victoria, that he had to save them.”

“The mother and baby that were killed in his nightmares?” Chloe asked.

“They have to be,” Ianto replied. “whatever this reveals, I hope Jack is strong enough to cope with the revelation.”

“He's strong Ianto, you too have survived so much during the time I've known you,” Chloe said gently. “and he has you to help him through this too.”

“Always,” Ianto said, giving her a weak smile and watching the expressions worriedly on his husbands face.

*~*~*

_Jack could see smoke filling the sky in the distance, ignoring the speed and high limits he soared higher into the air above the other vehicles and hit the accelerator button hard, jamming his finger on it and hurtled towards home, ignoring the automatic warnings coming from the console about his speed._

TBC


	36. Chapter 36

_Jack fought back his natural instinct to panic and landed his vehicle as near to his home as possible, the area around him filled with the sounds of explosions, crying and screaming but it appeared that the aliens had moved on from the sector._

_“Jack, where are you?” The Colonels voice came down his comm._

_“Home,” Jack told him simply._

_“What do you see, are your family okay?” his superior asked with concern._

_“Devastation, lots of homes are ablaze and people are running about the streets like they're not sure what to do, some screaming and crying, others eerily quiet,” Jack told him, slowly walking towards his house, the fact that the front door was open worrying him. “I haven't seen my wife or baby yet, I'm just about to enter my house.”_

_“We're here if you need us Jack,” the Colonel told him and then cut the call._

_“Thanks,” Jack murmured to himself, took a deep breath and slipped quietly through the door, only then noticing the long, deep scratch marks in it. “shit!”_

_The house was completely silent, Jack peered into the nearest room, the kitchen and finding it empty he ventured further into the house, his weapon in his hand ready for anything that might come at him out of the shadows._

_The dining room was as empty as the kitchen, praying silently in his head Jack moved to the living room and spotted them the instant he stepped through the doorway into the room._

_Jack froze at the sight before him, Megan laying in a pool of blood on the floor clutching their baby, clutching Victoria to her breast._

_With a sob escaping his throat Jack took a few steps closer, dropping to his knees beside his family, the crimson blood soaking into his trousers as he stared at them in shock._

_Reaching out with an unsteady hand Jack brushed a few stray, bloody strands off Megan's forehead, looking into her eyes and seeing the fear she must have felt when she realised there was no escaped._

_Jack gulped back another sob, his eyes moving lower to the child, their child in her arms, the baby's mouth laying beside the now redundant nipple._

_Unable to hold back his anguish any longer Jack let out a howl of emotional pain, his wife had been feeding their precious baby when they had been attacked, obviously without warning._

_Slowly he reached out and felt for a pulse, not expecting to find one but hoping he was wrong as his fingers pressed to the brunettes neck._

_Nothing. Jack snatched his fingers back and stared at the blood on them for a moment before wiping them down his trousers._

_Jack's fingers reached out again for the deep wounds in his wife's body, tracing over them and knowing instinctively that they went deep into her body, killing her almost instantly._

_He couldn't bear to think of how scared they must have been, Megan because of the aliens and Victoria, even so young sensing her mothers fear, he could hear them crying and screaming in his head._

_Thinking her heard a noise Jack leapt to his feet as if it impinged on him that whoever, or whatever had done this was still in the house._

_Grabbing the carving knife from the kitchen drawer Jack, it in one hand and his gun in the other, he moved quietly out the room, checking out the utility room as he a loud noise came from above startling him._

_Jack ran through the house and up the stairs, straight towards the nursery and threw the door open, ducking down when a black shape flew straight at him, sighing with relief when he realised it had just been a bird trapped in the room and then dropped down to the floor, curling into a ball and began to sob._

*~*~*

Ianto took a sip of the coffee he'd just brewed, let out a huge yawn and then made his way back down to Jack, his head was throbbing from lack of sleep but he knew he had to keep going for his husbands sake.

Nearing the old nursery he could hear sounds of whimpering, speeding his stride he was almost running when he entered the room to find Jack curled into a ball on the bed, sobbing and howling distraughtly.

The coffee mug tumbled from Ianto's hand, the contents spilling over the carpet unseen as Ianto rushed to his husbands side, Chloe entering the room barely seconds later.

“What's happened?” Chloe asked, checking the monitors and finding Jack's blood pressure rocketing.

“It must be another nightmare, worse than the last one,” Ianto replied, climbing onto the bed and pulling the Captain into his arms.

“You've got to try and calm him down or he's going to go into cardiac arrest,” Chloe replied. “his vitals are through the roof, if he doesn't wake up first.”

“Can't you give him another dose of the sedative?” Ianto asked her loudly over Jack's sobs, rocking him like a baby while his hand rubbed over his husbands back.

“It's too soon after the last one,” Chloe told him.

“If he wakes up now he could go into a coma,” Ianto argued.

“If I give him anymore of that sedative it could have the same effect,” Chloe replied, trying to keep calm for her friends sake. “we just need to try and calm him down.”

“What the fuck do you think I'm doing?” Ianto snapped, looked immediately sheepish and followed it with the quiet. “Sorry.”

“It's okay, I understand,” Chloe told him gently. “and I know he'll get through this.”

“I really don't want to have to resort to shooting him,” Ianto told her, tears forming in the corners of his eyes.

“It won't come to that if I have anything to do with it,” Chloe told him. “I'll be back in a sec'.”

“Where are you going?” Ianto called after her.

“Hang on,” she called back, vanishing from the room.

Ianto held onto his husband even tighter, Jack was sobbing like it was the end of the world and there was nothing he could do but hold him.

TBC


	37. Chapter 37

What the hell?” Ianto asked, seeing the strange array of objects on the tray Chloe came back with less than ten minutes later.

“We can't bring him out of the nightmare but somewhere in his mind he is still with us,” Chloe explained. “we need to tap into that, let him sense something comforting from now and it might calm him down a little.”

“Well, I'm open to anything at the moment,” Ianto replied. “it's worth giving it a shot, hand me the first one.”

Chloe picked up the silk tie and handed it to her friend.

“I thought we could start with touch,” she suggested.

Ianto nodded and wrapped the tie loosely around his hand, the end trailing down, holding his arm aloft he slowly stroked the smooth fabric over the skin of Jack's face but Jack didn't show any signs of reacting, just kept sobbing and muttering to himself.

“Nope,” Ianto said, thrusting the now tear-damp tie back at Chloe.

She took it without comment, wondering if it really had been such a good idea and handed him the mug of steaming coffee.

“Smell,” she explained.

It was a little hard to waft the coffee under Jack's nose in the position he was lying but Ianto did his best, when his attempt was met again without a reaction he took a long sip, swirling around his mouth before swallowing.

Chloe watched as Ianto pressed his lips to Jack's, the muttering stopped for a few moment, halted by him slipping his tongue into his mouth as he kissed him softly, for a few seconds Chloe thought it might be helping but Jack pulled away with a sob and curled into a tighter ball.

“Dammit, I thought we had something then,” Ianto grumbled, gulping down half the coffee before handing it back to the medic.

“What next?” Chloe asked.

Ianto glanced over the few items left on the tray.

“That one,” he replied, pointing to the piece of coral that was still a long way from becoming the TARDIS it was destined to be.

Chloe picked it up carefully from the tray and handed it to him, both of them gasping in surprise when the soft glow from within began to intensify, the light growing brighter.

The closer it got to Jack the more intense the colour, when Ianto held it out in the flat of his hand near his husbands chest he could feeling it beginning to pulsate, the light brightening and dimming, soft tendrils of light oozing out towards the Capitan.

“What on earth?” Chloe managed to utter as the glow began to envelop Jack.

“I have no idea, but look at the monitors,” Ianto replied, nodding towards them.

“But ... how ... how is that possible?” Chloe gasped, watching the numbers on the machines lowering steadily before her eyes.

“I have no idea, but it's working,” Ianto told her with a watery smile, his hand stroking through his husbands hair as he became less agitated.

“Do you think it's connected to him somehow, like the Doctor's TARDIS?” Chloe asked, a little in awe, watching the light dim around the Captains body and then vanish again completely.

“It's got to be,” Ianto replied, holding up the coral and staring at it. “there's no other explanation, it must have been able to sense his turmoil.”

“And the danger he was in and calmed him down somehow,” Chloe added.

“Whatever it was, I'm just glad it worked,” Ianto told her. “thank you.”

“Hey, this is nothing to do with me, I had no idea that would happen,” Chloe told him.

“Maybe not, but it was your idea to try anything familiar that might help,” Ianto smiled. “I think we should keep this nearby.”

“He should be awake in less than three hours now, lets hope we don't have to go through that again,” Chloe replied, taking the coral and placing it on top of the back of the recliner so it wasn't far away from the Captain.

*~*~*

_Jack felt an odd sense of calm overcome him, uncurling from the foetal position he had curled into he got to his feet, rubbing the sleeves of his jacket across his eyes and face to wipe away the tears._

_“Sir?” he enquired down the comm._

_“Jack, are they safe?” the Colonels voice came back to him._

_“No Sir, I was too later ... this is all my fault, if I had just gone straight home ...” Jack broke off with a sob, using all his control to stop himself falling apart again._

_“None of this is your fault Jack,” the Colonel told him sternly. “I'll send someone over to help.”_

_“I don't need any help, this is my family,” Jack told him. “I need to do this alone.”_

_“This is not a good idea Jack ...” his superior began only to be cut off by Jack._

_“I have to,” Jack told him and then cut the comms._

_Going into the bathroom Jack turned on the bath taps and pushed the button that sealed the plug hole, leaving the bath running with hot water he made his way back down to the living room._

_Carefully he slid his hands under his wife's body and carefully lifted her and the infant resting on her into his arms and carried them upstairs, laying them in the floor while he turned off the taps and check the water temperature._

_With that done Jack lifted Victoria from her mothers arms and kissed her softly on the cheek before carefully stripping off her clothing, laying a towel on the floor and placing her on it before repeating his actions with her mother._

_Lifting Megan off the floor he placed her in the bath, activating the built in headrest so that she couldn't slip under the water and then placed the baby back against her body, looking at them sadly with silent tears slipping down his face again he reached for the flannel and began to slowly clean their bodies._

_The water was deep red when he'd finished washing the blood from his wife and child, he wrapped them in towels and carried them to the bedroom, placing them on the bed before choosing clothes to dress them in._

_Jack dressed his wife in her favourite dress and then his daughter in her prettiest outfit, covering their wounds and then carried them back downstairs, ignoring the living room completely so as to not see the spilt blood on the floor and lay them on the dining room floor._

_“Jack, talk to me,” the Colonel said over the comm._

_“What do you want Sir?” Jack asked, clearly agitated._

_“Hart's on his way over to your place, I thought he was the best person in the circumstances,” his superior told him. “he's known you longer than anyone else.”_

_“And Megan hated him,” Jack snapped._

_“I know about your history Jack, that you and he were ... more than just work partners and despite everything, you need someone you know with you,” the Colonel replied. “he should be there momentarily.”_

_“Fine,” Jack muttered. “now just let me mourn in peace, okay?”_

_“Consider it done,” the Colonel told him. “I really am sorry about your loss Jack.”_

_“Thanks,” Jack replied shortly and cut the comm as he heard someone's footsteps echoing through the house._

TBC


	38. Chapter 38

_“I don't need your help Hart,” Jack said before his old partner had even entered the room._

_“The Colonel seems to think otherwise,” John told him, stepping into the room and stopping short at the sight before him. “and I agree with him.”_

_“You're just happy Megan's gone and can't fight with you for my attention now,” Jack snapped, a rogue tear slipping down his cheek._

_“That's not true and you know it Jack,” John told him. “well, okay the fighting for your attention bit maybe but I would never wish this on anyone, let alone you.”_

_Jack dropped to his knees beside his family, head bowed and unable to stop his tears falling again._

_“I don't know how I can carry on without them,” Jack said quietly. “I loved them so much, I miss them so much already.”_

_John moved to his side and placed a hand on his shoulder, gazing down at the mother and baby, a little shocked that they looked like they were just sleeping._

_“I don't know mate,” John told him simply. “but I do know we can't leave them like this, let me help you?”_

_Jack nodded slowly and let John pull him to his feet, not resisting when John wrapped an arm around his waist and placed the chaste kiss of a friend on his lips before brushing away the tears._

_“I want to do this here, I don't want this to happen somewhere impersonal,” Jack told him quietly. “I need to say my goodbyes without all the pomp and ceremony.”_

_“I understand,” John said simply. “come on, lets get what we need together.”_

_Jack let John take him by the hand and lead him outside to the garden at the rear of the house that Megan had taken so much delight in tending and collected logs from the pile set against the garden wall for the winter months and set them in the middle of the lawn._

_Between them to took over half an hour to set the logs into a funeral pyre, Jack then heading into the house with the duvet from their bed and setting atop over the hard logs._

_“I keep thinking this is all a dream and that I'll wake in a moment and Megan will come out from the house with Victoria in her arms to ask why you're here,” Jack said, staring at the pyre before them._

_“The Colonel contacted me while you were inside, they've managed to round up the aliens, most of them have been eliminated,” John told him gently. “they won't be hurting anyone else.”_

_“Did he also tell you this was my fault?” Jack asked him. “How I went for a drink with him instead of coming home to my family, where I could have saved them?”_

_“No, because you could never have known whatever they had planned Jack,” John told him firmly. “you cannot blame yourself for this.”_

_“I know you wouldn't,” Jack snarked, walking off, back to the house._

_John rushed after him, catching up with him in the dining room with Megan in his arms and obviously wondering how to pick the baby up too._

_“Let me?” John asked, not reaching for the baby until Jack reluctantly nodded his agreement._

_Between them they carried the mother and baby outside, Jack lay Megan on top of the pyre, arranged her clothes neatly around her and then kissed her softly on the cool skin of her forehead before stepping away to take his daughters body from John's arms._

_“She's so tiny,” Jack said, a tear dropping onto his daughters cheek._

_John just watched quietly while his former partner placed the baby on her mothers arms, brushing the wispy fringe from her forehead before planting a soft kiss to it and then moving back again._

_“I can't do this,” Jack said, his voice barely a whisper and handed the accelerator rod from his pocket._

_“Maybe we shouldn't do this, wait until we can do this formally?” John asked, wondering if doing it so quickly was now far to rash a decision._

_“No, now, please ...” Jack trailed off._

_John activated the rod and slipped it in-between the logs near the bottom of the pyre, within seconds flames began to lick at the lower logs._

_“Please let me wake up now?” Jack's voice cracked as he watched the flames move higher to lick at the bodies._

_John pulled Jack into his arms, holding him tightly, his hand rubbing soothingly over the small of his back while Jack sobbed into his shoulder._

_Neither of them moved for a long while, the fire was almost burning out when Jack pulled out of John's arms to stare at the remains, tilting his head upwards he spoke quietly._

_“I love you both and always will.”_

_“You need a drink,” John stated._

_“I'm fine,” Jack told him, still staring up into the sky._

_“No, you're anything but,” John told him. “come on.”_

_Jack followed John back into the house, slumping down at the kitchen table while his former partner rummaged through the cupboards until he found what he was looking for._

_Grabbing two glasses he placed them on the table before Jack and poured a generous measure of hypervodka into each and then pushed one closer to Jack before lifting his own._

_“To Megan and Victoria, wherever they maybe,” John toasted, lifting the glass high into the air._

_“Wherever they are,” Jack echoed quietly and took a small sip of the drink before downing the rest of the contents in one gulp and reaching for the bottle._

*~*~*

Ianto brushed his fingers softly down Jack's cheek, it was obvious that the Captain was still experiencing dreams that were far removed from pleasurable judging by the way his eyes were moving frantically beneath his eyelids and the moans and gasps that escaped his lips but the coral was seemed to be still doing it job of keeping his physical mind and body calm.

“I love you Cariad, whatever comes out of this, remember that,” Ianto whispered in his ear and then kissed him softly on the lips. “now is what matters, not the past.”

TBC


	39. Chapter 39

“Just under an hour until he's due to wake now,” Chloe said, handing Ianto a mug of coffee and not missing just how exhausted her friend was. “promise me you'll get some rest soon?”

“Once Jack is okay,” Ianto told her. “in one way i'm anxious for him to wake but on he other hand I'm scared what he's remembered is going to scar him for the rest of his ... his immortal life.”

“That's what the red pills are for though,” Chloe said thoughtfully. “I know they won't make him forget the trauma but they will ease the effect on his mind, defuse any depression.”

“I hope they work like they are meant to,” Ianto replied sadly. “I have a feeling that whatever happened it was one of the worst thing to ever happen in his life or he would never have had the two years taken from his memories in the first place.”

Chloe nodded. “We'll be there for him, all of us.”

“I know,” Ianto replied, with a weak smile. “I know ...”

*~*~*

_“I'm resigning from the Time Agency first thing tomorrow,” Jack told John, slurring his words a little and refilling his glass._

_“Why? If I was you I'd use their resources to hunt down the rest of the T'rrark and wipe out their species,” John urged. “stop them doing this to any other colony, planet!”_

_“The ones responsible for this have been killed or captured, I don't have the energy to go into battle against a whole species,” Jack told him, downing ... well, he'd lost count of the number of drinks he'd had after the tenth glass._

_“I'd help you and I'm sure most of both our squadrons would be up for it,” John replied._

_“Why?” Jack asked curiously, trying to focus on John's face, which was swimming before his eyes._

_“Why what?” John asked._

_“Why are you so determined for me to vent my revenge on them and want to help?” Jack frowned._

_“You're my friend,” John shrugged._

_“We've barely seen each other in six months and I know you hated Megan, so why do you want to avenge her death so much?” Jack asked him._

_“For you,” John replied._

_“But I've already made it clear that I think it's a bad idea, why try and change my mind?” Jack asked._

_“Because if it was you that had been murdered I know I would want to tract down the whole species of murdering bastards and make them pay for killing the person I loved,” John told him, reaching out across the table and grabbing Jack's hand._

_Jack shook it off._

_“You don't love me John, you never did, you just loved the fucking,” Jack snapped at him._

_“But we were so good together,” John retorted. “and I know I fell for you even if you won't admit to feeling the same way for me.”_

_“I have never been in love with you John, lust yes, I'll admit that but love, no!” Jack stated. “Nothing like I felt for Megan.”_

_“Tell me something Jack, I want the truth,” John replied. “if Megan hadn't fallen pregnant would you have stayed with her?”_

_“Yes,” Jack replied simply._

_“What if I had, when we were together, would you have stuck with me?” John asked._

_“No,” Jack told him. “I didn't love you, it wouldn't have been fair on any of us.”_

_“You bastard,” John yelled, picking up the now empty hypervodka bottle and throwing it across the kitchen to smash against the wall._

_“Get out John, just leave me alone,” Jack told him, scraping his chair back and getting to his feet, almost toppling over and having to grab the edge of the table to stop himself. “fuck!”_

_“You're pissed, at least let me help you to the bedroom?” John replied, nowhere near as inebriated as the other man having drunk less than a third of the bottle._

_“I can manage,” Jack told him, making his way slowly and unsteadily towards the kitchen door only to stumble a foot away from it._

_“No, you clearly can't,” John replied, wrapping an arm around him and leading him upstairs and into the bedroom._

_Jack stifled a sob at the sight of the perfectly made bed and the empty cot in the corner, not making any attempt to stop John when he sat him on the edge of the bed and removed his boots and socks._

_“They're gone, they're really gone,” Jack said quietly, silent tears running down his face once more. “I can't ...”_

_“You can go on and you will,” John told him resolutely, unzipping Jack's uniform top and pulling it off over his head. “you need to rest now.”_

_“I need to be alone,” Jack told him, pulling away from his former partner, grabbing a pillow and curling into a ball on the bed wearing only his trousers._

_“I'll be downstairs,” John told him. “if you need anything.”_

_“You don't have to stay,” Jack mumbled._

_“I'm not leaving you in this state,” John replied, pulling a blanket from the back of the small chair in the room where it lay folded and placing it over Jack._

_When Jack didn't reply John looked closer at him, he was already in an alcohol induced sleep._

_“I'm so sorry Jack, I really am,” John said softly, kissing the other man on the top of the head. “I meant it when I said I would never have wanted you to lose your family this way, no matter what my own feelings were about Megan.”_

_With that John left the room and headed back down to the kitchen, cleaning up the broken glass and then made his way to the living room with the means to clean up the blood he had seen when he'd arrived on the floor._

TBC


	40. Chapter 40

_Jack heard the key in the lock and then the front door of the flat open and buried his head further under the bedding knowing that his friend was beginning to despair of him and not wanting yet another fight with the man._

_“Get up Jack,” he heard John call out to him without even checking where he was followed by the sound of his keys being dropped onto the table in the other room._

_Jack didn't move, pretended not to hear, to be asleep and hoped it was enough to stop his friend disturbing him._

_“I said get up!” John shouted, ripping the bedding off his body and dumping it on the floor._

_“Just leave me alone,” Jack grumbled, curling into a tight ball, shivering in the cool air of the room._

_“No, you can't carry on like this Jack,” John told him. “to my knowledge you haven't had a shower or bath in over a week and you've barely eaten, get up while I make something to eat and then we need to talk.”_

_“Are you kicking me out?” Jack asked, not lifting his head so the other man wouldn't see the panic on his face._

_“No Jack,” John sighed. “just do this, for me, yeah?”_

_Jack nodded against the mattress and waited for John to leave the room before clambering across the bed and dropping his feet onto the rich carpet of John's spare room._

_Stopping only to pull clean jog bottoms and a t-shirt from a drawer he made his way to the bathroom, after turning on the hot water he stared at his reflection in the mirror._

_“Megan would have a fit if she could see the state I'm in,” he told himself quietly, rubbing his fingers through his greasy hair. “she'd be giving me even more grief than John.”_

_Gulping down a sob Jack stripped off his clothes, even he'd admit to how bad they smelled and once he'd dumped them in the washing shoot he climbed under the cascade of scorching hot water, turning it down a little a few seconds later._

_Jack washed his body and hair quickly, towelled himself dry and then dressed in the clean clothes, not bothering with underwear as he was using them in place of pyjamas._

_Sitting down on the sofa he found John appearing at his side a moment later with a plate of food._

_“Eat, I'll get you a drink,” John told him._

_“Water, I meant what I said when I told you I was never drinking again,” Jack called after him, the memory of the worst hangover combined with his grief the day he'd lost his family three weeks earlier still fresher in his mind that he liked to admit even to himself._

_“Water,” John said, placing a small bottle on the floor beside Jack's feet._

_John watched Jack quietly while he shovelled the food into his mouth wondering if he was actually chewing it at all, or tasting it for that matter, he waited until Jack had cleared his plate and gulped down more than half the water before speaking._

_“We need to find a solution to this Jack, you can't just spend every hour of the night and day in bed,” John told him. “I know you loved her and that you miss her but life has to go on.”_

_“You're just pissed off with the fact that I won't share your bed,” Jack snapped at him._

_“No, I'm not,” John told him, his guilt clear on his face for when he'd tryed to come onto him a week before and putting back any progress Jack had been making by days. “the Time Agency told me you're job is still there for you if you want it back.”_

_“Never, I'm never working for them again,” Jack told him resolutely._

_“Then you need to find another job,” John replied. “something to get you out of this flat for part of the day at least.”_

_“Looked, didn't find anything,” Jack retorted._

_“When?” John asked and Jack just shrugged. “I thought as much.”_

_“It's only three weeks John,” Jack muttered, feeling his eyes welling up and a tear rolling down his face, he wiped it away with the back of his hand. “three weeks is nothing.”_

_“I'm worried about you, if you can't start to pull yourself together you're going to end up insane,” John told him. “I can already see signs of depression, the not eating and staying in bed all day to start with.”_

_“Okay, you tell me how I can get what I saw out of my head?” Jack asked._

_John pulled three little pots from his pocket and held them out to Jack in the palm of his hand._

_“One month, one year, two years,” John said quietly. “the choice is yours.”_

_“Retcon? That's your answer to this?” Jack asked, flinging his arms upwards dramatically._

_“Think about it Jack, it's a good solution,” John told him._

_“One month ... I forget about the way they were brutally murdered and I guess you implant the idea that she left me taking Victoria with her?” Jack asked and John nodded before he continued. “one year and I forget that Megan was ever pregnant and you use the same idea about her leaving me ... and two years, I'll forget she even existed and you get to have me back in your bed?”_

_“It's not like that Jack, I'm just thinking of you and your state of mind,” John argued. “if I was, don't you think I would have just put one of them in your food?”_

_“How do I know you didn't?” Jack asked._

_“Because even I'm not that much of a bastard,” John retorted._

_“Not yet, anyway,” Jack snarked, something he couldn't put his finger on sneaking into his head._

_“Just sleep on the idea, okay?” John asked. “And we'll talk about it again tomorrow when I get in from work, for both out sakes.”_

_“I could just move out, so you don't have to worry about me anymore?” Jack suggested._

_“Don't even think about it,” John warned, placing the clearly marked pots on the window ledge. “why don't you watch something, a movie, while I have a bath?”_

_Jack glanced at the blank screen attached to the wall ahead of him._

_“I might ...” Jack replied, but not reaching for the remote._

_“I won't be long,” John told him, pulling off his top as he left the room and headed into the bathroom, closing the door behind him._

_Jack sat staring at the pots, from where he was sat he could see the labels clearing donating their strength, his mind in turmoil he got to his feet and moved to the window where they sat on the ledge._

_Hands in his pockets he looked down on the world below knowing in his heart that John was right, if he carried on down the path he was currently spiralling at a rapid rate of knots he'd drive himself insane._

_Reaching over to the nearby shelf he picked up the one photograph he had of Megan and Victoria, tears running fast down his face he stroked his fingers slowly over the picture._

_“I love you both so much, so much I never want to forget you,” Jack whispered. “but I know I have to, I can't live with the bad images in my head of the day I lost you both, they block out the good ones and that's ...”_

_Jack trailed off, now sobbing hard he reached for one of the pots and tipped the small pill into his hand, staring at it for a moment or two before popping it into his mouth with a gulp of his remaining water and then moved to lay on the sofa knowing sleep would overtake him very soon._

_He never heard John enter the room less than ten minutes later to find him asleep and mutter “Fuck” loudly._

TBC


	41. Chapter 41

_John picked up the empty pot and threw it with force at the wall where it bounced off, hit the back of the sofa Jack was asleep on and then dropped to the floor._

_“One month?” John muttered under his breath angrily. “You chose just to lose one months worth of memories? You idiot!”_

_Knowing that Jack wouldn't wake for hours he grabbed his coat and stormed out the flat to the nearest bar._

_When Jack woke some time later his mind was more than a little foggy but he had the sensation of being watched, slowly opening one eye he saw John sat in the armchair opposite with a beer bottle in his hand watching him._

_“John?” Jack asked, looking around the flat confused._

_“That's my name, don't wear it out,” John snarked drunkenly._

_“Where am I, where's Megan?” Jack asked. “Shit, she's going to kill me for being with you.”_

_“This is my flat, your staying with me,” John told him with some delight._

_“Why? But that's ridiculous!” Jack retorted, slowing moving into a sitting position. “I'm living with Megan, she's about to have our baby! What have you done to me?”_

_“Nothing, I'm sorry Jack, Megan walked out on a few month ago, don't you remember?” John asked him._

_“No? Why would she do that?” Jack asked, shaking his head as if trying to clear the fog within._

_“You said that you just got home one day after a fight about you leaving the Time Agency and she was gone, along with all her belongings and not even so much as a note,” John replied, praying Jack believed his story._

_“No, no, she'd never leave me, she loved me,” Jack told him. “I loved her and she knew that, was it you, did you say something to her?”_

_“Like what?” John asked. “She wouldn't give me the time of day, do you really think she'd listen to anything I'd have to say concerning you?”_

_“I don't know ... I'm so confused ... why can't I remember any of this?” Jack snapped._

_“You retconned yourself, took the dose to lose a months worth of memories,” John told him with a small sigh. “you couldn't cope with it, losing her like that.”_

_“Did she, had she had the baby?” Jack asked quietly._

_“No, she ... she lost the baby,” John replied, hating lying to his friend. “it was stillborn.”_

_“And ... and she left me ... I have to find her,” Jack said adamantly, angrily brushing the tear away that rolled down his face. “make her see that I still love her.”_

_“What if she doesn't want to be found?” John asked._

_“She's obviously upset, not thinking straight,” Jack insisted. “oh my god, did she blame me, for losing the baby?”_

_“No, the doctors said it was a rare complication, barely seen in female pregnancies these days,” John replied, making it up as he was going along, surprising himself considering his inebriated condition._

_“She needs me, I have to find her!” Jack stated, trying to stand and feeling woozy and sitting down again quickly._

_“Not tonight you won't be,” John told him. “It's late and you're suffering the after effects of the retcon you took.”_

_“Tomorrow, first thing,” Jack replied resolutely. “I'll have to inform the Time Agency that I need compassionate leave.”_

_“You won't need to, you handed your notice in soon after she left,” John told him, thankful that that lie was only a little white one._

_“Oh god!” Jack said, burying his face in his hands and sobbing loudly. “No wonder I took the retcon, could my life get any more fucked up?”_

_John moved to sit beside Jack, putting an arm around his shoulder and pulling him close so that Jack was sobbing into his chest and wishing he could have come up with something less distressing for his friend._

_“Maybe you should just forget about her completely, start over and find another job?” John suggested gently. “If she could run out on you at such a time is she really worth all this?”_

_Jack nodded against his chest causing John to groan inwardly, knowing Jack like he did he knew he wouldn't give up until he found out the truth and they'd be back where they started._

_“Look, we can't do anything tonight,” John said, thankful that Jack's sobs had subsided a little. “why don't you go and have a shower and then go to bed, I'll bring you a hot drink when you get out the bathroom?”_

_“Okay,” Jack said, agreeing somewhat easily and pulled out of John's arms. “do we have any of that retro chocolate drink?”_

_“Cocoa?” John asked and Jack nodded._

_“I think so, I'll even make it with milk, can I get you anything else, you've not eaten since earlier?” He asked._

_“No, I'm fine,” Jack told him, this time getting to his feet without feeling dizzy and heading straight into the bathroom._

_Emerging from the steam filled bathroom sometime later, dressed again in the jog bottoms and t-shirt he had put on earlier after his first shower of the day he headed straight to the bedroom and climbed under the duvet._

_John appeared soon after carrying a mug and handed it to him, Jack couldn't help but breathe in the aroma of the hot chocolate drink and took a small sip._

_“That's great, thanks,” he told John, blowing on the hot liquid and then taking a little more._

_“Are you sure you don't want anything to eat?” John checked._

_“Nah, I'm good, still feeling sleepy,” Jack replied, drinking down more of his rapidly cooling beverage. “I'll just get some more sleep.”_

_“I'll see you in the morning then,” John replied. “and we'll work something out, I'm sure you'll find her if you try hard enough.”_

_“I will,” Jack replied, handing back his now empty mug. “goodnight.”_

_“Night Jack,” John replied, leaving the room and heading back to the kitchen where he washed the mug thoroughly, picked up the two empty retcon pots and buried then deep in the bottom on the bin._

_Then he turned off all the lights and went back to Jack's room, opening the door quiet he slid into the bed next to Jack who was in the deep sleep of someone who'd taken two does of retcon, one large enough for them two lose two years of memories and curled into his warm body._

_“It was for your own good, your sanity,” John whispered to him, convincing himself he'd done the right thing at the same time._

*~*~*

Ianto smiled softly at his sleeping husband, whatever was going on in his dreams he seemed more settled than he had for the whole time he'd been sedated, leaving the recliner he settled back on the bed beside Jack and wrapped an arm around him, knowing he'd wake soon and wanted to be close for whatever happened when he woke, good or bad.

TBC


	42. Chapter 42

Jack woke up with a start, almost sending Ianto off the edge of the bed and looking utterly confused.

“What ... where ... who the hell are you?” Jack stuttered at Ianto, starting to panic.

“Jack, calm down, it's me, Ianto,” Ianto said softly. “you're safe.”

“But ... oh god ...” Jack babbled, coming completely out of his dream which ended with him waking in the arms of John Hart, only to be told the Time Agency had stolen two years of his life. “oh god ... why the hell did I ... just hold me.”

Ianto wrapped his arms tightly around his husband, his hand stroking his back in what he hoped was a soothing motion and let him sob softly against his chest.

“Shhh, it's okay, whatever happened you're here and safe,” Ianto told him.

Jack nodded silently against his chest.

Ianto spotted Chloe at the doorway watching them, her concern for her friends evident in her face as he mouthed silently. “Is he okay?”

“I hope so,” Ianto mouthed back.

Chloe motioned that she was going back up to the main hub and indicated that he should contact her immediately if he needed her before vanishing again.

“Can I get you anything?” Ianto asked his the Captain.

“No, nothing,” Jack told him, holding onto him so tightly it was like he was scared he'd lose him.

“Did you find out what you needed to?” Ianto asked carefully.

“Yeah,” Jack replied, lifting his head and looking into his husbands eyes with his red-rimmed watery ones. “but I wish I hadn't.”

“You don't have to tell me, until your ready,” Ianto reassured him.

Jack nodded. “Later, can we go home, I need to see the kids.”

“Of course we can, they'll be up for school soon.” Ianto told him. “do you want to freshen up a little first, you've been out of it for twelve hours?”

“I could really use the loo for a start,” Jack said with a weak smile.

“Then go, I'll met you upstairs,” Ianto replied, helping Jack, still a little wobbly legged off the bed and kissing him softly.

“Never leave me Ianto, never,” Jack said cryptically before pulling out of his husbands arms and heading off the the bathroom.

Ianto watched him go until he disappeared out of sight and then made his way up to the main hub where Chloe was sat at her workstation playing on-line Suduko.

“Jack wants to go home, he needs to see the children,” Ianto told her as she swivelled around on her chair to look at him. “have you got those red pills, just in case, he seems rather calm at the moment, too calm.”

“They're here,” she replied, picking the pot up from beside her computer and tossed it to him, Ianto catching it easily and tucking it into his pocket. “where is he?”

“Bathroom, he should be up here by now, I should go and check on him,” Ianto replied, turning on his heel and retracing his steps across the hub.

*~*~*

Jack took what he thought must be the longest pee of his life and then moved to the wash basin, first he washed his hands and then splashed his face with cold water, to both wake himself up completely and hopefully make it look like he hadn't been crying before he got home and saw his children.

With water dripping down his face from the front of his sleep messed up hair he stared at his reflection on the small mirror about the sink, images from his dreams and nightmares running through his head as if on fast forward.

At least his two missing years were now explained, John bloody Hart had stolen them. He could see that although he knew John had done what he had for mostly selfish reasons, which had resulted in them having another short but passionate affair he also knew he'd done it for him, to stop him losing it over Megan and Victoria's deaths.

His wife and daughters faces swam into his head, first the good memories of their time together, from when they first met, when he'd found out Megan was carrying his child and he'd realised he loved her and the day their beautiful daughter had been born and how proud he was.

With a smile he recounted in his head how bad his first attempt at nappy changing was, how Megan had laughed uncontrollably when she found the two of them, Victoria's nappy on back to front and baby cream and talcum power spread all over the changing mat.

The way any day seemed to brighten up when he looked at his daughter, how she wriggled and giggled when he tickled her tummy, how content she looked while her mother was feeding her and how happy Megan looked to be doing so.

Reaching for a paper towel to dab at the remaining water on his face Jack tried to fight of the images he didn't want to remember, arriving home and finding his family in a pool of blood.

Taking care of them and then watching their bodies burn on the funeral pyre, hoping that they were to be together somewhere for the rest of eternity where nothing could hurt them.

Then he remembered his own experiences of death, how he saw nothing but blackness and silence and prayed, not for the first time that it wasn't the end, that he just saw that because it wasn't his time to die, that he didn't move on to ... well the better place that some believed waited for them when they died.

“Shit,” Jack uttered quietly to himself. “oh shit.”

With that he slithered down to the ground and curled into a ball beneath the sink and began to cry again, his sobs so hard they were making his whole body shake with each one, scenes from his nightmares playing over and over in his head until he vomited all over the floor violently.

“Jack, oh god, Jack,” Ianto shouted, rushing into the bathroom in time to see Jack vomit for the second time, dropping down onto his knees beside, not caring about the mess and pulling him into his arms, while Jack began to continue sobbing uncontrollably once more and shaking badly.

Ianto reached for his comm.

“Chloe, I need you down her,” Ianto told her. “bring a sedative, but just a mild one.”

“On my way,” Chloe replied.

“It's going to be okay, I promise Jack. I promise.” Ianto said, kissing the top of his husbands head.

“What happened?” Chloe asked, rushing into the room carrying a hypodermic.

“I think his memories just caught up with him big time,” Ianto replied. “we need to calm him down.”

“This isn't strong enough to knock him out but it should do just that,” Chloe told him pulling the cap off the needle and injecting the contents into Jack's arm. “now we just have to wait.”

“I think we're going to need those pills for sure,” Ianto said quietly. “the first one as soon as I get him home.”

“I hope they do exactly what they say on the tin,” Chloe remarked, quoting a popular TV advert.

“Me too,” Ianto sighed, already feeling his husband beginning to relax a little in his arms.

TBC


	43. Chapter 43

After Chloe injected the sedative into the top of Jack's arm she helped Ianto get the Captain to his feet and then left the two men at Ianto's request.

Ianto used paper towels to clean Jack up as best he could, luckily the majority of the vomit had miss his husbands clothes, and once he was calmer he helped him out the hub and into their car.

Settling Jack in the passenger seat he closed the door and pulled out his mobile, calling home and waiting impatiently for it to be answered.

“Ianto, oh thank goodness you called,” Claire answered, more than hint of worry in her voice.

“What's wrong, is it the kids?” Ianto asked, keeping one eye on Jack in the car.

“They woke up sobbing their hearts out and asking to see daddy,” she replied. “they've calmed down now but they're still beside themselves, they won't tell me why, just that daddy needs them.”

“Shit, okay, we're on our way back now,” Ianto replied. “don't worry about them going to school, call in and tell them that they are sick and I'll explain the little I know when we get there.”

“I'll let them know you're both on your way, they're huddled together on the sofa,” Claire sighed. “it's very disconcerting to see them not bickering with each other.”

“I can see that,” Ianto replied, unable to stop the small chuckle at the thought. “how's Dylan?”

“He's fine, either he doesn't have their ability to sense his daddy or he's too young for it to have developed yet I guess,” she replied.

“That's something,” Ianto said, with some relief. “see you soon.”

After cutting the call Ianto climbed into the drivers seat, glancing at Jack he couldn't miss the expression of sadness on his face, even sat there with his eyes closed and his head resting on the back of the seat.

“Are you ready to go home?” Ianto asked, sliding the key into the ignition.

“Yeah, I need to be with the kids,” Jack replied, not opening his eyes.

“They've been asking for you,” Ianto told him.

“Shit, I had a feeling that sedative wouldn't block everything out for them,” Jack moaned sadly, finally opening his eye to look at his husband. “what if ... what if they saw what I did in their sleep?”

“I think they can just sense emotions Jack, they won't have seen your nightmares,” Ianto replied, trying to reassure him.

“I hope not,” Jack replied, closing his eyes again as Ianto started the car and they headed off out the parking garage.

The front door opened before they even got to the top of the drive, Claire was stood waiting for them with Dylan in her arms and Caden and Eloise either side of her, both of them visibly clutching onto her clothes and even from that distance, upset.

Ianto got quickly from the car and hurried around to Jack who was climbing out the other side, taking his hand in his to show the children that it wasn't anything to do with him that had made their daddy upset they walked towards the house.

They got within a yard or so when Caden and Eloise let go of Claire and ran towards them, both children wrapping their arms around their daddy's legs and gazing up at him for reassurance that he was unharmed.

Ianto reached down and pulled Eloise, who was closest to him into his arms and Jack did the same with Caden, all of them silently moving into the house and Claire closing the door behind them and following them to the living room.

Sitting down on the sofa with the kids still in their arms they settled hip to hip, hugging the children tightly, Claire made her excuses to leave the room, telling them she need to change and dress Dylan and left them alone.

“Claire told me you were both upset earlier?” Ianto asked the twins gently.

“Daddy was upset, we could feel it,” Eloise replied for them both. “we were so scared that something bad had happened.”

“I'm okay sweetheart,” Jack told her, giving his daughter a weak smile. “daddy just had some very bad dreams.”

“But you're still upset daddy, we know you are,” Caden told him. “did ... were the bad dreams about us ... about aliens, did we die, did dada die?”

“Bad aliens yes, but nothing happened to either of you, Dylan or dada,” Jack told them quickly. “some bad aliens did something nasty to me in the past that I'd forgotten and it upset me when my memory of it came back.”

“What did the nasty aliens do daddy?” Eloise asked in horror.

“They hurt some people I cared about,” Jack told her simply. “it's all over now, I just want to forget about it, can you help me with that?”

“Yes daddy,” both twins told him, Eloise clambering off Ianto's lap to hug her daddy.

“I'm going to see if Claire wants a coffee, I know we could both do with one,” Ianto said, getting to his feet and pressing a kiss to his husbands brow and then leaving him alone with their children.

Ianto hurried upstairs and found Claire in the nursery where she was finishing dressing Dylan, she pulled up the baby's little fleecy trousers and handed him over to his dada.

“Hey you,” Ianto said softly, cuddling his youngest son close to his chest. “at least we don't have you worry about you in all this too.”

Dylan just gurgled at him and snuffled against his chest making Ianto smile.

“What happened?” Claire asked. “the kids were distraught earlier, when they woke.”

“I honestly don't know the details yet,” Ianto sighed. “he had a breakdown soon after he woke from the treatment and just wanted to get home to the children, he'll tell me when he's ready.”

“It was bad though, wasn't it?” Claire asked, seeing the sadness in Ianto's eyes.

“At one point we thought he was going to have a heart attack, his pulse and blood pressure went sky high, and although we got them under control, using that baby TARDIS of Jack's it was obvious he was still suffering the nightmares,” Ianto replied.

“The baby TARDIS helped?” Claire asked, wondering how on earth the little piece of coral could have done such a thing.

“Yep, I think that because it's part of the Doctor's TARDIS it's connected to him somehow, it seemed to sense his distress and soothed his body if not his mind,” Ianto explained. “however it did it, I'm just happy it worked, it was Chloe's idea.”

“She's a smart one that Chloe,” Claire smiled, watching the way Ianto was taking comfort from his son.

Slipping his free hand into his pocket Ianto pulled out the small pot containing the three little red pills and showed them to Claire.

“Without Jack even telling me I know he's going to need these, they are a form of antidepressants from the future, these three little pills should get rid of the depression,” Ianto explained. “I really hope they work or Jack is never going to be the same again.”

“Dada, dada,” Caden ran into the room sobbing and tugged on his sleeve. “daddy won't stop crying, he keeps saying Megan and Victoria.”

“Megan and Victoria?” Claire asked Ianto.

“They must be the people from his dreams and nightmares,” Ianto gasped, handing Dylan back to Claire he ran downstairs with Caden hot on his heels to his husband.

TBC


	44. Chapter 44

“Claire, can you take the kids to the park for a little while, just while I settle Jack down?” Ianto asked, running down the stairs behind Caden. “I'm going to try and get him to tell me what happened.”

“I want to stay with daddy!” Caden told him adamantly.

“Daddy's upset about the nightmares he was having, I need you and Eloise to be good for me and go with Claire,” he told him. “then I can try and help daddy feel better.”

“But dada ...” Caden tried to argue.

“No arguments, I'm sorry Caden but I really need you to do as I ask right now,” Ianto said, cutting him off and leaving him with Claire he went into the living room where Jack was sobbing his heart out on the sofa while Eloise cried quietly next to him not knowing what to do for her daddy.

“Eloise, sweetheart,” Ianto said, crouching down beside his daughter. “I need to you to go and see Claire while I help daddy, will you do that for me?”

“Is daddy going to be okay, he's so sad,” Eloise asked, looking up at him.

“Yep, he just needs us, all of us,” Ianto told her softly. “but before you and Caden can help him I need to calm him down and talk to him.”

“Bad dreams did this?” Eloise asked him.

Ianto nodded and agreed. “Bad dreams.”

“Okay dada,” she replied, leaning over to place a soft kiss to his cheek and then went to find Claire and her brothers.

After hearing the rest of the family leave the house Ianto headed out to their car and took the small cloth bag from the glove compartment, locking the car before returning to the house.

He pulled the piece of coral from the bag and set it on the coffee table, watching it begin to pulsate and then bathe Jack on light, then and only then did Ianto sit down beside his husband and pull him into his arms.

“Hey, it's okay,” Ianto said softly to him. “shhh, I'm here.”

“They killed them, my baby daughter and her mother,” Jack told him, feeling suddenly calmer. “those aliens, the ones with the knives for arms.”

“The ones in the bay? Covered in purple scales?” Ianto asked him.

Jack nodded. “They must have triggered my memories, oh god Ianto, it was so awful.”

“And the Time Agency took your memories afterwards?” Ianto asked.

“No, John Hart did,” Jack told him truthfully.

“Hart? Why would he do that?” Ianto frowned.

“Megan, my wife hated him with a vengeance and wouldn't let him near the house,” Jack explained. “he was so jealous of her, until then we were ... still using each other for sex and when I met Megan I knew I didn't want to cheat on her.”

“He retconned you because of jealousy?” Ianto asked aghast.

“No, because I was distraught,” Jack replied. “he gave me the option to retcon myself with the choice of one month, one year or two years.”

“And you refused?” Ianto asked him.

“No, I took the one month option, the problem was I could still remember her, and that she was pregnant,” Jack explained. “I kept going on about how I had to find her, that she needed me and John knew I would never give up my search, so he gave me the two year pill without me knowing.”

“The bastard, who gave him the right to do such a thing?” Ianto ranted.

“He did it because he cared about me,” Jack sighed. “some of it yes was because he knew he could convince me that we were still an item and get me back but he did it for me too.”

“So you and he were together more than once?” Ianto asked.

“A very long time ago Ianto, I never loved him in the way I love you,” Jack told him sincerely. “or Megan for that matter and he knows that, I told him.”

“And Victoria, she was your baby?” Ianto asked gently.

“She was so young when they attacked, I lost them both ...” Jack trailed off, feeling his tears mounting again. “and now I have to relieve all the anger and pain I felt.”

“I'm sorry Jack, I wish I knew how to make it better,” Ianto told him. “but I do know that retconning yourself again isn't an option, the memories could return again and we'd have to go though this all again.”

“I agree,” Jack told him. “I feel strange, like I want to scream and shout and hide away just crying but also calm at the same time?”

“You've got the baby TARDIS to thank for that, she's helping you,” Ianto told him with a smile, pointing at the coral on the coffee table. “she can't bare to see you upset, we think she stopped you having a heart attack while you were unconscious.”

“She's part of the Doctor's TARDIS,” Jack said, reaching out with his fingers to touch the coral and feeling waves of warmth flowing over his skin. “she remembers me.”

“Yep, but we can't rely on a piece of coral to control your emotions,” Ianto told him, pulling the pot containing the three little red pills from his pocket. “You need to take the first one of these.”

Ianto was a little taken aback when Jack held out his hand wordlessly, popping open the lid he selected the one that was marked as the first one and placed in on Jack's palm, watching him while he popped it in his mouth and swallowed it.

“I know the kids pick up on my emotions,” Jack said. “I don't plan to do anything to make them more upset than I have to, I will take the pills and for now we'll keep the baby TARDIS near and by the time I've finished the course I'll still remember my lost family but without spiralling into despair.”

“They really work that well?” Ianto asked, rattling the remaining two pills in their pot.

“Yeah, they do exactly what they are made to do,” Jack replied. “they eradicate depression without any side effects and believe me, I never want to experience what I went through in those twelve hours ever again.”

“Is there anything else you need to tell me? Want to tell me?” Ianto asked.

“Not yet, maybe in a few days when I've taken the whole course of pills,” Jack replied. “I'd like to tell you all about Megan and Victoria, if that's okay with you?”

“Of course it is Jack, they were part of your life,” Ianto smiled.

“Thanks,” Jack told him. “and when the kids get back I really need to spend some time with them, doing anything they want.”

“They love that,” Ianto agreed, kissing Jack softly on the lips.

“Nothing can ever happen to them Ianto, after the kidnapping ... nothing,” Jack told him.

“Not if I have anything to do with it,” Ianto told him fiercely and then kissed him again, this time more passionately, pulling back when they heard the front door open and Chewie and Princess ran into the room and jumped up at them excitedly followed by the twins.

TBC


	45. Chapter 45

Having put baby Dylan to bed in his cot his two daddies stood watching the sleeping baby, hand in hand in the dim glow of the night light.

“He's just gorgeous,” Jack said quietly. “I can't believe I had a daughter that I couldn't remember.”

“I can understand why John did that to you,” Ianto sighed. “despite his own selfish intentions I can see that he wouldn't want to see you so hurt over her, their deaths.”

“But he had no right to decide it for me,” Jack replied, reaching down with his free hand to stroke his fingers softly down his baby's cheek.

“It was a long time ago Jack and now you have your memories back there's no point dwelling on it,” Ianto told him. “if at some point Hart comes back into our lives then you can kick him to kingdom come, I won't stop you.”

“It's so weird to think of, that it happened so long ago, it's in my past but also in my future,” Jack smiled a little. “it's all going to happen again in the future with my past self, I could go back and see them again.”

“That's not a good idea Jack and you know it,” Ianto replied. “I know what you're thinking, that you could save them.”

“Even I'm not that daft, if I saved them I would never leave them and we would never have been,” Jack told him. “and that would be just as bad as losing them.”

“And the Doctor would kill you if he got his hands on you!” Ianto grinned.

“Yeah,” Jack agreed, kissing his husband softly. “come on, lets go and read the twins that story we promised them.”

Closing the door behind them they made their way to Eloise's room where both kids were sat on her bed playing quietly while waiting for their parents.

“Okay kids, what book did you pick out?” Jack asked sitting between them on the bed.

“Cinderella,” Eloise grinned, holding out the Ladybird copy of the Disney book.

Both Jack and Ianto glanced at their son amazed that he would agree to such a 'girly' tale.

“This your choice too?” Jack asked, trying to stop a smile crossing his face.

“Nope!” Caden said, giving his twin a little glare. “But I made her promise to have Toy Story next time.”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” Ianto grinned, taking the offered book.

Caden moved to sit on his daddy's lap and Ianto filled the space he had vacated, pulling their daughter onto his and began reading.

“Once upon a time ...” and finished with. “... happy ever after.”

“Lovely daddy, I'm going to marry Prince Charming when I get big,” Eloise exclaimed.

“It's just a story silly,” Caden told her, a little meanly.

“So!” Eloise huffed.

“There's no such person as Prince Charming,” Caden goaded her.

“Hey you two stop bickering,” Jack told them. “Caden don't be mean to your sister.”

“But it's true!” Caden pouted.

“It's true that this Prince Charming doesn't exist but it doesn't mean that Eloise won't meet her own real one,” Ianto put in. “I knew I'd met mine when I met your daddy.”

“Really?” Eloise asked, her eyes widening like saucers.

“Yep,” Ianto grinned, winking at his husband. “there was no white charger but he definitely swept me off my feet.”

“Did you have a sword and rescue dada from an evil stepmother?” Caden asked in awe.

“No,” Jack chuckled. “but we are going to live happily ever after.”

“You are so soppy at times,” Ianto grinned, leaning over their children's heads to kiss him softly.

“Yuck,” Caden exclaimed while Eloise smiled insanely.

“I can't wait until you're old enough to have a girlfriend,” Jack said, laughing at their sons expression.

“Girls are yucky!” Caden grouched.

“Okay, boyfriend,” Ianto grinned.

“Kissing is yucky,” Caden countered.

“You'll see,” Jack told him. “right, time to sleep, school tomorrow.”

“Daddy's happy now,” Eloise told Ianto.

“I'm feeling much better sweetheart,” Jack said with a smile, kissing his daughter on the cheek. “I might be a little sad still in the next few days but I'll be okay.”

“Why are you sad daddy?” Caden asked curiously and not liking the sadness that crossed his fathers face,

“I'll tell you when I'm better,” Jack said softly. “it hurts daddy too much to think about it at the moment.”

“Okay daddy,” Caden replied, even at his young age sensing not to push the subject.

“Right young man, lets get you to your own room.” Jack told him, shuffling off Eloise's bed with him in his arms and carrying him to his room.

Ianto followed suit with Eloise, holding her while he pulled back her duvet and deposited her in her bed, waiting her her to snuggle down before laying it back over her.

“Is dada really okay?” She asked him.

“He will be sweetheart,” Ianto told her with a smile and then kissed her goodnight before leaving to the room, the words 'I hope' echoing around in his head to meet Jack on the landing.

“What do you want to do?” Ianto asked him. “we could watch a movie?”

“No, I know it's early but I just want to curl up in bed, our bed with you,” Jack replied. “I need to feel you in my arms.”

“That sounds good to me,” Ianto admitted, trying not to think about the way the previous night had been spent. “do you want to shower first?”

Jack nodded.

“I'll meet you in bed,” Ianto told him. “I just need to feed Chewie and Princess and let Claire know she has the living room to herself if she wants.”

“Don't be long,” Jack smiled, squeezed his hand and then they went their separate ways.

Ianto bounded down the stairs and found Claire in the living room reading her magazine.

“We're going to bed, I think last night took more out of Jack that he's admitting,” Ianto told her. “I'm just going to feed the puppies and then you have the house all to yourself.”

“I can feed them,” Claire offered.

“No, no, it's fine,” Ianto assured her. “if you could just put them to bed when you go thought that would be great.”

“Of course,” Claire smiled. “I'll see you in the morning, night.”

“Night,” Ianto echoed and called the puppies, who were flaked out on the rug in front of the fireplace to follow him into the kitchen where he filled their food bowls and freshened their water.

Giving them both a quick stroke on the head while they ate he smiled, knowing that they would both help Jack as much as the rest of the family and then made his way back upstairs.

Ianto had his own shower, dried off and went to their room where Jack was lying flat on his back in the glow of the lamp waiting for him.

“Are you okay?” Ianto asked, sliding in beside him.

“Better now you're here with me,” Jack said with a soft smile, rolling on his side to curl around his husband and rest his head on his chest. “do you mind if we leave the lamp on?”

“Nope, if that's what you need,” Ianto assured him.

“Just tonight, just in case ...” Jack trailed off.

“It's okay,” Ianto replied, holding his husband tightly. “lets try and get some sleep.”

Jack nodded against his chest and Ianto swore he felt a tear drop on his skin but he let it pass and soon after he knew Jack had drifted into sleep.

 

TBC


	46. Chapter 46

Jack woke suddenly and for a moment panicked, confused as to where he was before his eyes settled on his husband in the soft light of the lamp and found himself looking into Ianto's eyes.

“Are you okay?” Ianto asked softly, letting Jack pull him into his arms and hold him tightly.

“Yeah, I was dreaming about when I was with the Time Agency and it seemed so real,” Jack explained. “we were flying towards this planet and suddenly out of nowhere this fighter ship, not unlike something you'd see in Star Wars came out of nowhere and attacked ... and then I woke up.”

“Dreams can be like that, especially when they seem so real,” Ianto said. “at least you know that you survived, despite waking.”

“They didn't have a hope in hell against us, we were the best,” Jack smiled. “elite some would say.”

“Modest too,” Ianto chuckled softly. “when you say 'we', you mean you and Hart don't you?”

“When it came to our job there's weren't many that could out class the two of us,” Jack smiled. “but never think that he meant more to me than you do or ever will.”

“I know,” Ianto replied, brushing his lips softly over the Captains. “I realised a long time ago that John Hart was someone I never needed to be jealous of.”

“Good, because he's not a patch on you, in any way whatsoever,” Jack told him sincerely.

“Really? I'm better at everything?” Ianto asked, raising an eyebrow.”

“Mmmm,” Jack murmured, kissing his husband softly. “and I know the last twenty four hours haven't been easy for you either, thank you for taking care of me.”

“You're my husband Jack, of course I'd be there for you, there's no need for thanks,” Ianto assured him. “just promise me you take the whole course of pills?”

“I will, don't worry,” Jack replied. “I know if I don't I will fall to pieces, they will let me remember my memories but in a healthy way.”

“That's good, they should have been dealt with in a better way back then,” Ianto replied and then chuckled. “or in the future.”

“Wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff as the Doctor would say,” Jack smiled. “and yes, instead of retcon John should have given me the same antidepressants that I'm taking now but if he had ... what I have now might never have been.”

“Then I really should be thanking him and not wanting to kick his sorry arse then?” Ianto grinned.

“Oh, I wouldn't say that,” Jack chuckled.

“Good, now can we get back to sleep?” Ianto asked, still exhausted from spending most of the night before awake watching Jack.

“I'm not actually feeling that tired now,” Jack murmured kiss the said of his lovers neck softly.

“Some of us need to sleep now and then Sir,” Ianto smirked.

“If you wanted to go back to sleep you really shouldn't have done that,” Jack laughed softly.

“I don't know what you mean Sir,” Ianto replied, spoiling the moment with a small yawn and then laughing himself. “I really am exhausted.”

“What if I did all the work and you just laid there and enjoyed yourself?” Jack asked.

“I might fall asleep on you?” Ianto replied, trying to stifle another yawn with his hand.

“But then again, you might not,” Jack urged, sliding his hand up Ianto's thigh and teasing under the hem of his boxer shorts. “roll over.”

Ianto slid his hand behind Jack's head and pulled him on a deep kiss, his tongue sliding into the warm, wet recess of his husbands mouth and kissing him thoroughly before he had to pull back, in danger of yawning into Jack's mouth.

“I love you,” Ianto smiled, then rolled onto his belly.

Jack hooked his fingers into the elastic waistband of Ianto's briefs and pulled them easily down his legs and then dropped them out of the bed and onto the floor, then discarded his own.

Straddling his lovers hips Jack lay himself down, covering his husbands body, his cock pressed into the crease of his arse and whispered in his ear.

“I love you more and more every day,” he said softly and then kissed the back of his neck while sliding a hand over Ianto's hip and then around the slide in between his body and the bed.

Despite Ianto's tiredness Jack's hand found his husbands cock almost completely hard and when Ianto canted his hips upwards he moved too so that he could wrap his hand around his erection.

Pressing his cock deeper into the crevice of his husbands arse Jack began to move slowly, the tightness of their bodies creating enough friction while his hand pumped his lovers cock in time with his thrusts.

“Okay?” Jack murmured.

“Mmmm,” Ianto mumbled back, his head resting on his hands he let the sensations flow through his body, keeping sleep at bay.

Gradually Jack's movements got faster and faster, Ianto's body moving beneath his as his body reacted despite his exhaustion, his moans and pants spurring him on.

“Need to come,” Ianto mumbled sleepily. “so close.”

Jack's fist began moving faster and faster, pumping his husbands cock and feeling it swell in his hands just that little bit more and then pulsate as he came, spilling his essence over his fist and the bedding beneath them.

Not moving his hand Jack concentrated on his own orgasm, his cock moving quickly between his husbands buttocks and his own body pressing down, beginning to grunt as the edge grew closer and closer until with a groan his come spurted over their skin.

Resting his head on his lovers back Jack couldn't help but smile when Ianto let out a small snore, once he'd come down from his orgasm Jack lifted his body off his and reached for the wipes beside the bed, cleaning them both up as best he could.

Not wanting to disturb him again that night Jack left Ianto where he was, he knew that when Ianto woke he was going to feel sticky, along with the bed sheet but they could both be dealt with easily in the morning in the form of the shower and washing machine.

Curling against Ianto's side Jack kissed his shoulder and then closed his eyes, he'd meant every word he'd said to him about loving him more and more every day, he's never felt that about anyone else before.

Not John, not Megan ... no-one.

He tried not to dwell on what had happened to Megan and Victoria while dozing back into sleep but he couldn't get them out of his head, images of the baby giggle while he blew raspberries on her belly filling his head as he finally fell back asleep.

TBC


	47. Chapter 47

Ianto slipped quietly out of bed the following morning leaving Jack sleeping peacefully and headed for the en-suite bathroom, closing the door so the sound of the shower wouldn't wake his husband.

Emerging some twenty minutes later he smiled at his still sleeping husband and pulled on his dressing gown over the towel wrapped around his waist - dressing could wait until Jack was awake – and made his way down to the kitchen where he could hear the twins chatting with Claire.

“Can I smell coffee?” Ianto asked, sniffing the air rather dramatically and making the twins giggle.

“You do,” Claire smiled, reaching for a mug while he kissed his children and wished them a good morning.

“Why do you drink so much coffee dada?” Eloise asked. “And why can't we have any?”

“Coffee is for grown-ups sweetheart,” Ianto told her, accepting the mug of coffee from Claire and taking a long sip before continuing. “but it contains something called caffeine and you're teachers wouldn't appreciate the after effects.”

“That's not fair, grown-ups get all the best things,” Caden pouted.

“Like what?” Ianto asked, amused, wondering what on earth his son was about to come out with.

“Cars ... and stuff!” Caden exclaimed. “I want to be big so I can have a big car like the SUV.”

“You'll get big soon enough,” Ianto sighed. “make the most of being a kid, because believe me, once you're a grown-up you'll wish you were a kids again.”

“Won't!” Caden pouted again.

“We'll see,” Ianto chucked while Claire looked on amused.

“When I get big I want to work for Torchwood,” Eloise announced, looking excitedly at her dada. “I want to help aliens.”

“I'm not sure that's a good idea,” Ianto told her gently. “or that daddy will agree either.”

“I can make the coffee and look after them,” Eloise continued just as Jack walked into the room carrying Dylan in his arms.

“We'll have to see when you get big,” Ianto told her with a smile. “you might want to do something else by then, like being a nurse or a vet.”

“Would you like me to take Dylan?” Claire asked Jack, getting one of his bottles out of the fridge and popping it into the bottle warmer.

“Thanks but I'd like to feed him,” Jack answered, settling himself on one of the kitchen chairs while the bottle warmed. “so, Eloise, what is it you want to do when you're older?”

“Work for Torchwood daddy,” she told him with her cutest smile.

“And like I told her, we'll talk about it when she gets big,” Ianto told him, hoping he wouldn't pursue the matter.

“That sounds like a sensible plan,” Jack agreed, offering Dylan his bottle and feeding him his breakfast. “Claire, how would you like the day off? I was thinking we would spend the day with the kids, rift permitting.”

“You know I'll always have my mobile one me, should you need me,” Claire smiled. “I could do with some time to pamper myself a little, that would be great, thanks.”

“Then the day is yours, hopefully,” Jack told her. “we can get these little monsters washed and dressed.”

“I'll go and shower and dress then, have a good day,” Claire answered and then left the kitchen.

“It's a nice day out and by the looks of it it's going to be warm,” Ianto said, getting up to prepare Jack a mug of coffee and glancing out the window. “we could go to the park?”

“Are we still not going to school?” Caden asked carefully, just in case they had forgotten a school day.

“Yep,” Ianto told him. “the school know you won't be in until Monday.”

Both twins gave yelps of excitement and Ianto told them to go up and start getting ready to go out and then he'd be up to help them in a few minutes.

Once the twins had left the room he picked up the little pot of pills from behind the toaster where he had hid them the night before, popped off the lid and tipped Jack's second dose of the antidepressants into his hand and then offered it to him.

Jack to it and put it in his mouth without question, swallowing it down with a gulp of coffee and then replaced the mug down on the table to lift Dylan over his shoulder to burp him.

“No more dreams last night?” Ianto asked, leaning against the edge of the kitchen table beside his husband. “How are you feeling?”

“Not that I remember,” Jack answered. “I still feel like I was to scream, shout and kick something hard but much less than I did yesterday.”

“Then the pills are working, that's a relief,” Ianto nodded. “I don't want you to forget your family Jack, but I couldn't watch you hurting so badly.”

“Nor could the twins, putting them through my emotions wouldn't be fair,” Jack agreed. “It would be bad enough having to get through it myself without the pills.”

“Do you think their sensitivity to your emotions will get stronger?” Ianto asked him.

“Yeah, as they grow so with that,” Jack sighed. “I think they're telepathic powers between each other are growing too, I noticed that they don't talk much while they are playing before all this happened but they seem to know exactly what each other is thinking or wants.”

“That could be very useful for them if one of them ever got into a ... situation when their older,” Ianto mused out loud. “they could get help without anyone knowing.”

“Situation?” Jack asked, smiling when Dylan let out a loud burp finally.

“You know what boys can be like,” Ianto shrugged. “if one ... well, you know ...”

“That's a long way off,” Jack grinned. “but I can see where you're coming from, lets get this one dressed and check on the twins.”

“Good idea, letting them dress themselves is never a good option,” Ianto chuckled, following his husband out the kitchen and upstairs where the twins were still in their pyjamas, distracted by a game they had left out in Eloise's room the night before.

“Do you want to take Chewie and Princess to the park?” Jack asked, smiling as he watched them, feeling Ianto's arms slide around his waist.

“Yeah,” they both yelled in unison.

“Then you better get dressed!” Jack exclaimed and then suggested to Ianto. “you help these two and I'll get Dylan sorted.”

“I think I got the short straw,” Ianto chuckled, sending Caden off to his own room while he pulled out jeans, a jumper and underwear for Eloise and then went off after his son.

TBC


	48. Chapter 48

Winding the puppies leads through the metal legs of one of the benches in the play area Jack and Ianto settled on it, Dylan in Ianto's arms while they watched the kids play on the various equipment.

“Do you think we actually wore the puppies out?” Jack asked his husband, glancing down at the panting pair.

“I'm not sure that's possible,” Ianto answered with a grin. “but if so and we wear the kids out two we could be in for a quiet afternoon.”

“An afternoon watching Disney DVD's ahead of us then?” Jack answered with a smile. “I can cope with that, just as long as they don't contain any mild peril.”

“That is so typical now isn't it?” Ianto chuckled. “Kids cartoon movies never stated anything like that when I was a kid, do they think today's children are wimps?”

“Political correctness going mad,” Jack grinned.

“Agreed,” Ianto nodded before calling out to Caden who was hanging upside down from the highest part of the climbing frame. “careful Caden, you don't want to land on your head!”

“I'm fine dada!” Caden shouted back and then proceeded to pull himself upright and then drop down onto the safe surface landing perfectly on his feet. “See?”

“Just be careful, that's all I ask,” Ianto answered with a small sigh.

“Daddy, look how I can go,” Eloise called out to Jack from the swings.

Jack turned his attention to his daughter and gulped at the sight of her flying so high he thought she might fall off, but she was giggling excitedly as she soared into the sky.

“I can't look,” Jack groaned, burying his face in Ianto's shoulder.

“Eloise sweetheart, just slow down a little please,” Ianto called out to her. “if you fall you'll break something and that won't be fun I promise you.”

“Okay dada,” Eloise called out reluctantly, stilling her legs and letting the swing slowly gradually.

“I sometimes wonder if they'll make it to their teens without breaking something,” Ianto chuckled softly and then turned to look at Jack when he made no reply.

“Hey, are you still with me?” Ianto asked him softly.

“Mmmm,” Jack mumbled, his eyes seemingly fixed on his playing children.

“Jack?” What's wrong?” Ianto asked.

“Nothing ...” Jack answered and then trailed off.

“Talk to be cariad,” Ianto pushed gently. “whatever it is you can tell me.”

“I was ... it's just ... I was thinking how Megan never got to see Victoria playing like this, she was barely a baby when ...” Jack trailed off again, a lone tear falling down his cheek which he brushed away.

“I've been thinking Jack, I know it happened a long time ago, in your future but I thought that perhaps we could hold a little memorial for them,” Ianto suggested carefully. “we could plant a tree in their memory or whatever you wanted.”

“You'd do that for me? But you never knew them?” Jack asked quietly.

“You're my husband and you're hurting and after what you told me happened to them I think it would help you,” Ianto answered. “put them to rest.”

“Yeah, I'd like that,” Jack replied, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. “and planting a tree in their memory sounds like a good way to remember them, something large like an Oak tree.”

“Whatever tree you want,” Ianto said with a smile.

“Daddy, daddy,”

The calls of their twins calling out and running towards them made them look up.

“Daddy's upset, why?” Eloise demanded, putting her hands on her hips.

Jack pulled her up onto his lap and Ianto moved a little so Caden could sit between them.

“You remember how we told you that daddy was special?” Jack asked them and they both nodded enthusiastically while he continued. “and that the reason daddy was able to have babies was because he was from the future?”

“Yes daddy, it's a secret,” Caden interrupted.

“Yes, it is and the bad dreams were about something a very long time ago,” Jack continued, not mentioning that it was his future and wanting to keep it as simple as possible. “daddy was married to a lady called Megan and we had a baby girl called Victoria.”

“I have a sister?” Eloise asked interestedly.

“Sort of, but ... she died when she was a baby and someone took my memories of it,” Jack explained. “that's what the nightmares were about and now I know it makes me sad.”

“Why did she die daddy?” Caden asked sadly.

“She ... some bad aliens hurt her,” Jack told him reluctantly, they had never really told the children that there were bad aliens along with the cute and fluffy like the green kitties they had had as pets for a while.

“Like Janet?” Eloise asked.

“Yeah, like Janet but you don't have to be scared of her, do you?” Ianto answered. Worried they might be scaring them.

“We're not scared of Janet but she must be bad or she wouldn't be locked in a cell,” Caden stated.

“Very true,” Jack replied, unable not to grin at his son. “there are some very bad aliens in the universe but many more good ones I promise.”

“We thought we might have a little ceremony in the garden at home to remember Victoria and her mummy, what do you think?” Ianto asked them.

“Will it make daddy happy?” Eloise asked.

“I think so, yes sweetheart,” Jack told her, hugging her close and kissing her on the top of the head.

“Good,” Caden nodded. “when?”

“We haven't decided yet, but soon,” Ianto answered. “do you want to know anything else?”

“No dada, can we go and play again now?” Caden replied, feeling happier now his fathers mood had lifted a little.

“Yep, just a little longer and then we'll see if the chip shop is open of the way home and get fish and chips for lunch,” Ianto answered.

“Yum!” Caden said, scrambling off the bench and running towards the climbing frame again.

“I'm sorry daddy,” Eloise said thoughtfully, looking into his eyes. “that Victoria died.”

“It's okay sweetheart,” Jack told her with a smile, kissing her on the cheek before sending her off to play again.

“That went better than I thought it would,” Ianto said softly, jigging Dylan gently up and down in his arms.

“They're bright kids,” Jack smiled, watching them again.

“Yep,” Ianto agreed, watching his husband watching the twins. “lets let them have another ten minutes then we should go, this little'n is going to want feeding and changing soon.”

Jack turned to face him. “You and the kids mean the world to me, please don't ever think I would want to change my life, my past is my past and you are my future. I love you and nothing will ever change that, nothing.”

“I know,” Ianto said softly.

“Always,” Jack smiled at his husband.

“Always,” Ianto echoed, leaning forwards to steal a tender kiss.

“Home?” Jack asked when they parted.

“Yep,” Ianto agreed and called the kids while settling Dylan in his pram before they began the short walk home.

TBC


	49. Chapter 49

Four days later ...

“Are you ready to do this?” Ianto asked his husband quietly, pressing a loving kiss to the side of his neck.

Jack nodded. “Today is perfect, the sun is shining and the rift is behaving. Did you ask Claire if she wanted to join us?”

“I did but she said it was something we should just keep as a family thing, which I can understand,” Ianto told him.

“She feels like family,” Jack answered simply.

“The kids have a surprise for you, Caden and Eloise anyway,” Ianto told him. “they're waiting for us in the garden.”

“Really? What is it?” Jack asked.

“I have no idea, they wouldn't tell me,” Ianto said with a soft smile. “we should head down though, I left them watching Dylan in his pram.”

“Okay,” Jack agreed, taking his husbands hand and letting him lead the way downstairs and outside, the sight of the Oak tree sapling leaning against the wooden fence saddening him a little.

“Daddy,” Eloise called out, smiling she ran the small distance between them and Jack had to let go of his husbands hand to catch her as she leapt up at him. “don't be sad daddy.”

“I'll be okay sweetheart,” Jack reassured her. “dada says you and Caden have a surprise for me?”

“Caden, now,” Eloise called out to her twin, he picked up a small cardboard box and carried it over to the rest of his family.

Jack set Eloise down on her feet so he could take the box, when he did so he opened the lid slowly and felt his eyes well up at the contents.

Inside was a tiny pink knitted cardigan and a pair of pale blue booties along with a little rattle and a piece of paper.

Jack handed picked out the piece of paper and handed the box to Ianto and began to read the childish handwriting, knowing Eloise had written it for the pair of them.

To my sister Victoria and your mummy Megan we wish we had known you as daddy loved you so much and we know he misses you badly.

Claire our nanny told us that you were still a baby in heaven so we thought you might like these, they used to be ours.

Love Eloise and Caden.

“We want you to bury them with the tree,” Caden explained, watching tears slide down his daddy's face with concern, worried their gift had upset him even more.

“I think it's a lovely idea,” Jack told him, crouching down and pulling both his children into a tight hug, kissing them both on the top of the head.

“Claire helped me write the note,” Eloise said proudly. “she wrote down what I said and I copied it.”

“You did a great job,” Jack smiled at her. “shall we plant the tree now?”

“We helped dada dig the hole,” Caden told him as they pulled out of their daddy's arms and each took one of his hands and walked down the garden with Ianto following closely behind pushing the pram with one hand, the box balanced on top and carrying the sapling in his other hand.

Jack and Ianto looked on while the twins placed the contents of the box in the bottom of the hole along with the note and then Ianto placed the roots of the tree on top of them, holding it steady while Jack carefully refilled the hole in around it.

Jack stood back and looked at the sapling for a few moments before speaking.

“Goodbye my beautiful angels, all I can hope for is that you are resting in peace now. I loved you both so much and no matter how badly it hurts to remember you I know I wouldn't want it any other way,” Jack said quietly. “I know you'd be happy to know that I have another family now, it took me a very long time to find someone I wanted to settle down with again and if you knew Ianto, my husband you'd love him as much as I do. You will never escape my memories again, I promise.”

With that Jack turned and buried his face in his husbands shoulder and cried freely, Ianto have the twins a look that told them to go back into the house and they pushed the pram away with them leaving Ianto to comfort his husband.

Since taking the third and last pill Jack's mood had lifted visibly but he knew this ceremony would break him a little again, it was only to be expected and he would just hold him for as long as he needed him too.

“Are you okay?” Ianto asked softly when Jack finally lifted his head from his husbands sodden shoulder.

“Yeah, I really am,” Jack said with a weak smile. “I needed to do this, thank you.”

“Anything for you, you know that,” Ianto answered, kissing his husbands lips tenderly. “what now?”

“Now I want to go back indoors and play with out children and spend this evening with just you,” Jack told him. “this just enforces just how fragile life is and that I should make the most of you all while I can.”

“I'm going to be with you for a long time yet, as are the children,” Ianto told him fiercely. “nothing is going to come between us, or take us away from you, I can promise you that.”

“We don't know ...” Jack began only to be cut of by Ianto's lips on his, kissing him deeply.

“I do!” Ianto insisted. “and this little family is going to result in grandchildren, great grandchildren, great great grandchildren and then ...”

This time Jack cut Ianto off with a kiss.

“I get it,” Jack told him, his face breaking into a grin. “this family is forever.”

“Yep, and don't you ever forget it,” Ianto grinned back. “so, they kids are having an early night tonight then?”

“Oh yeah,” Jack told him, turning to look once more at the sapling, a little sadness seeping back into his thoughts but he knew life went on and he was going to live it with the people he loved.

The End. 

Verse continued in 'This Moment In Time'


End file.
